Potato production in Tanzania is one of the sectors that is in serious danger, according to a report prepared by the Climate Resilient Agribusiness for Tomorrow (CRAFT) project, the Tanzania Times reported Dec. 8.
The country’s agriculture is threatened by the ongoing effects of climate change, including drought, rising temperatures, pests and diseases, and soil degradation.
The fact that Tanzania is Africa’s 6th largest potato producer, with a crop supporting more than half a million farmers, threatens to destroy the agricultural sector.
The challenges faced by potato growers pose a major threat to the industry, especially as the crop is one of the top ten important staple crops grown in Tanzania with huge potential for food and income.
“Our climate risk assessments show that by 2050, 12.3% of the potato growing area in Tanzania will not be suitable for farming,” said CRAFT Tanzania Project Manager Menno Keizer.
He added that as Tanzania’s population continues to grow at about 3 percent a year, potato growers, most of whom are smallholders, need to find ways to produce food sustainably.
