AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government has expressed its commitment to reviving sisal production in the country by putting in place strategies, including providing training to farmers and extension officers.
At least 807 agricultural extensional officers and 338 farmers in eight regions have so far received professional training in recommended agronomic practices.
Among the regions include Tanga, Morogoro, Kilimanjaro, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Mara, Lindi and Arusha. Training is also offered to farmers from 28 councils across the country.
Moreover, Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (Tari) in its Tanga-based Mlingano centre has produced more than 2.6 million seedlings of improved sisal varieties.
National Sisal Coordinator, Dr Catherine Senkondo, who is Director of Mlingano Centre said the focus was to produce 5 million sisal seedlings in the 2020/21 season, with a view to attaining at least 120,000 tonnes of sisal by 2025.
“We’re working round the clock to ensure the centre produces enough improved sisal seedlings to push for major production in all regions where sisal is grown,” she expressed.
Dr Senkondo added that the improved sisal seedlings produced at the centre were of high yield, saying the varieties were also used in leading sisal growing countries, including Zimbabwe, China and Kenya.
According to Dr Senkondo, the government’s move to revive the crop has encouraged smallholder farmers to boost production. She said the farmers had shown they were ready to start growing the crop.
“Apart from researching and producing improved seedlings, we (Tari Mlingano) in partnership with different councils and municipal councils also work hard to ensure extensional officers and farmers to sisal more professionally,” she noted.
According to her, Tari Mlingano has set aside more than 30 hectares to support production of the seedlings and plans are underway to increase the production of sisal seedlings to meet high demand.
The government directed Tari to revamp sisal cultivation in the country by expanding researches and production of sisal seedlings at Tanga Mlingano Centre.
Sisal is among the few oldest commercial cash crops in the country. Sisal production was established by colonialists in the 19th century.
The crop was introduced in the country by the Germans through the German East Africa Company.
In 1964, sisal production recorded its highest pick in Tanzania, with estimated 250,000 tonnes produced from diverse regions across the country, primarily Tanga, Morogoro, Mwanza, Arusha and Shinyanga.
