Tanzania
-- Agriculture
Agriculture
continues
to be the
backbone
of the Tanzanian
economy.
More than
80% of the
economically
active population
is engaged
in food
production.
Agriculture
constitutes
the country's
principal
source of
income,
providing
about 50%
of its GDP
and more
than 90%
of its export
earnings.
Since independence,
the Tanzanian
government
has sought
to encourage
fundamental
changes
in the traditional
structure
of rural
production
through
a series
of economic
and social
policies.
Traditionally,
Tanzanian
agriculture
was carried
out through
small-scale
cultivation
by dispersed
family units.
This pattern
not only
characterized
subsistence
farming
but the
cash crop
sector as
well. After
the Arusha
Declaration,
the government
initiated
its Ujamaa
Village
Program,
which sought
to transform
agricultural
production
into communal
undertakings
carried
out by rural
inhabitants
who had
been regrouped
into villages.
Yet
these reforms
met severe
obstacles
by the second
and third
decades
after independence.
The dislocation
of agricultural
workers
led to inefficiencies
in production.
Economic
fluctuations
led to lowered
prices for
exported
agricultural
products.
The country's
per capita
agricultural
output fell
behind its
population
growth.
Other problems,
including
pest infestation,
lack of
foreign
investment
in agriculture,
and inadequate
rainfall
forced Tanzania
to import
large quantities
of cereals
in 1983-85
to feed
its people.
Lack of
suitable
storage
facilities
resulted
in the destruction
of up to
40% of harvested
crops. Unfavorable
weather,
flood, and
pests also
contributed
to the deterioration
of the agricultural
sector [1].
Subsistence
crops include
maize, which
is grown
by more
than 50%
of Tanzania's
farmers.
Rice,
the second
most important
staple food,
is grown
mainly by
small-scale
farmers
for domestic
consumption.
Wheat is
the third
major food
crop; it
is handled
mostly by
the National
Food Corporation
(NAFCO)
rather than
by small-scale
farmers.
Other food
crops include
sorghum,
millet,
pulses,
cassava,
potatoes,
bananas,
plantains,
sugar, groundnuts,
sesame,
coconuts,
and soy
beans.
The
major crops
for export
or industrial
use include
coffee,
cotton,
tea, tobacco,
cashew nuts,
and sisal.
Coffee is
the country's
major export.
Its production
provides
income for
more than
two million
people.
Tea and
sisal are
grown mainly
on large
estates.
Tea production
rose from
18,000 tons
in 1990
to 19,794
tons in
1991; in
1993, a
20-year
plan was
initiated
to expand
tea production.
Sisal is
one of the
primary
foreign
exchange
earners.
In 1976,
its production
declined
due to competition
from synthetic
fibers and
the government
nationalization
of Sisal
industries.
Production
started
picking
up in the
1990s and
remained
higher than
originally
estimated,
with levels
of 36,000
tons in
1991, and
28,000 tons
in 1992.
Cotton is
mainly grown
on small
farms, primarily
in Tanga,
Muranza,
Kogoma,
Kagera,
Singida
, coastal
areas, Arusha
and Kilimanjaro
regions.
Tobacco
is the third
most important
export;
its production
has grown
significantly
in recent
years (1990s).
Cashew nuts
are grown
along the
coastal
belt from
Mtwara to
Tanga, almost
entirely
on small
farms. Total
production
fell from
147, 000
tons in
1973-74
to 16,500
tons in
1986-87.
A project
to increase
cashew harvests
was financed
by an IDA[2]
credit of
$25 million
in mid-1989.
By 1991,
ten of the
13 Cashew
factories
had closed,
and the
remaining
three were
working
at half
capacity.
But in 1994-95,
Cashew nut
production
rebounded
to yield
63,000 tons.
Cloves are
mainly produced
in Zanzibar,
which at
one time
supplied
more than
60% of world
demand.
[1]
Kaplan,
Irving,
ed. 1978.
Tanzania,
A Country
Study, Foreign
Area Studies,
American
University:
Washington
D.C.
