TARI urges farmers to grow climate resilient crops

DODOMA: THE Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) has called on farmers to embrace climate-resilient crops such as sorghum and finger millet to secure stable harvests despite erratic and insufficient rainfall.

Senior sorghum researcher at TARI’s Hombolo Centre in Dodoma, Dr Denis Tippe, gave the advice recently, underscoring the nutritional and economic importance of finger millet to communities in drought-prone areas.

He urged farmers nationwide to adopt improved sorghum seeds developed by TARI to increase yields, particularly of finger millet, noting that the crop thrives in semi-arid conditions.

“Regions such as Dodoma, Singida, Rukwa, Katavi and Tabora are well-suited for sorghum farming. I encourage farmers to grow these crops because they are droughttolerant, resilient to climate change, and have ready markets both locally and internationally,” Dr Tippe said.

He further encouraged farmers to take advantage of government support in the agricultural sector to boost production, improve household incomes and strengthen food security.

Highlighting the benefits of finger millet, Dr Tippe noted its role in preparing porridge and various snacks, while also being valued for its high nutritional content. At the recently concluded Nane Nane International Farmers’ Exhibition held at Nzuguni grounds in Dodoma, TARI showcased improved farming technologies and educated farmers on the cultivation of drought-resistant crops.

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According to TARI, improved varieties not only guarantee higher yields but also ensure better quality and more consistent production.

Through its collaboration with local and international partners, the institute continues to develop improved varieties of cereals, roots and tubers, legumes, oil seeds, horticultural crops and traditional cash crops such as coffee, cotton, cashew, sisal and tobacco.

For more than five decades, Tanzania’s National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) has developed and released a wide range of crop varieties. These are registered in the Variety Catalogue under the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), making them accessible to farmers across the country.