The Bukoba District Council is seeking to roll out a pilot project in seven villages across Tanzania aiming to increase coffee production in the country
The council chairman, Dauda Kateme, stated that the project aimed at accelerating coffee production by providing farmers with necessary inputs and improved coffee seedlings.
Selected villages include Kabajuga in Kasharu Ward, Butayaibega in Butayaibega Ward and Katare in Kishanje Ward, Kateme revealed.
The council said that it will provide a total of 210,000 seeds to farmers without charge, manure and each village will also receive US$120.
“Under the project, 210 ha of coffee will be cultivated with each village maintaining one hectare. Also, the farmers will be provided with a tractor to assist them in cultivation and grading their coffee,” Kateme said.
According to the chairman, coffee farmers in Kagera region have been told to replace old coffee trees with improved varieties, while also adopting good agricultural practices including stumping, pruning, weeding, mulching and fertilising.
Tanzania produces around 30-40,000 mt of coffee per year, 70 per cent of which is Arabica and 30 per cent Robusta.