Cotton project to extend services to three regions

The project will also implement various initiatives to assist the crop growers to enhance production and productivity.

Speaking to the Guardian recently, Dr. Paul Saidia, the director of TARI-Ukiriguru Centre, said the project plans to extend its activities in Morogoro, Kigoma and Singida regions.

The project was started in Mwanza, Tabora, Geita, Katavi and Shinyanga, where has shown good results by increasing yields and crop management.

"The project, among others, has introduced to the farmers in the country the new planting space of 60 centimeters from row to row , and 30 centimeters from hole to hole, bringing the number of the cotton plants to 44,444 per acre from the formal 22,222 plants, the vital system which has also adopted by the ministry of agriculture, " Dr.Saidia said.

Since the inception of the project, Dr. Saidia said, the initiative has been providing training, technical assistance and demonstration plots to thousands of cotton farmers who have been working hard to improve their crop management and increase yields.

Dr. Geofrey Mkamilo, the Director General (DG) of TARI observed that the Victoria Cotton Project, and Beyond Cotton Project, all under the financial auspices from Brazil have so far played a great role to improve the performance of cotton industry in the country.

Cotton stands among the strategic economic cash crop in Tanzania, currently attracting a total of 500,000 farmers, who are cultivating at least 1,000,000 acres in different regions across the country, including Geita, Tabora, Katavi, Shinyanga and Mwanza.

Despite being endowed with the friendly agro-ecological zones to support cotton farming and fibre production, the crop production and productivity has for years been crippled with numerous setbacks, such as poor agronomic practices, pests and diseases, low quality seeds and lack of access to markets.

CVP is a brainchild of the partnership between Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)–Ukiriguru Centre and the government of Brazil.

The US$5.8 million initiative, which was launched in 2016/17, targets to improve institutional and human resources capacity building in the use and dissemination of technology in the cotton production.

Several stakeholders in the cotton value chain from within and outside the country are also bridging up the effort.

These include the Ministry of Agriculture of Tanzania, the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), the Brazilian Cotton Institute (IBA), the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), and the Tanzania Cotton Board (TCB).