by George Sembony,
Smallholder sisal farming is set to expand under the proposed 10-year sisal crop development plan, according to theTanzania Sisal Board (TSB) acting director general, Mr Hamis Mapinda.
“The plan envisages increasing the participation of smallholder and outgrower farmers in the industry from 419 households in 2010 to 4,440 households at the end of this development.”
The proposed plan also brings on board smallholder farmers for the crop who operate under the banner of the Sisal Smallholders and outgrowers Scheme (SISO). Figures for the 2010 calendar year indicate that SISO members contributed nine per cent, 19 per cent and 11 per cent in production, planting and sales respectively.
“We have already managed to identify some 419 farmers in these areas but our plan is to have 3,000 households with five hectares each in ten years time, Mapinda said. The board is also working to commercialise sisal farming in other parts of Shinyanga, Mwanza and Mara regions.
“In a nutshell, a total of 22,200hectares will be put under sisal by smallholder farmers by 2020 whereby about 4,400 households will be involved apart from SISO scheme,” he said.
The Citizen
To ease your site search, article categories are at bottom of page.
