Tanzania’s Coffee Sector Faces Severe Effects Of Climate Change

 By STAFF REPORTER 

PRODUCTION and productivity in coffee coffee sector in Tanzania is currently threatened by the severe effects of climate change, the situation which calls for timely and collective interventions from the relevant stakeholders from both, public and public sectors.

While most of the plantations are failing to thrive due to drought, compelled by climate change, it has been unveiled that poor access to inputs, extension services, low productivity, poor adoption of good agricultural and climate- smart practices,  stands tall among the factors that thwarting the smooth metamorphosis of the economic sector across the country.

The challenge has been itemized by the country’s coffee stakeholders during a special forum tailored to retreat and discuss the performance of the crop, as well as setting viable future mechanisms for the bright future of the sector.

The one-day forum, held in Dodoma Capital City over the weekend under the auspices of Solidaridad, an International Civil Society Organization, is part of the implementation of the Passport to Coffee Export ('PACE') project.

The three-year project which is receiving its lucrative funds from the European Union (EU), have so far managed to attain its target to capacitate at least 22,500 coffee smallholder farmers in Mbeya, Ruvuma and Songwe regions in Tanzania, and in its implementing, the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TACRI) and the Envirocare Tanzania, are part and parcel.

Elifadhili Daniel, Manager of the  Passport to Coffee Export ('PACE') project expressed during the gathering that serious efforts were needed in order to assist the farmers to withstand the effects of climate change.

“Apart from the effects of climate change, efforts must be made to increase extension services and availability of necessary inputs towards the coffee growers across the country,” he insisted.

In efforts to spur performance of the sector, Daniel communicated that the project, PACE, was working successively to help increase coffee quality, production and productivity, as well as increasing the extent of youth and women inclusiveness.

“As of now, we have managed to attract many youth into the coffee value chain sub-sector, especially in the establishment of the coffee seedlings nurseries where they’re producing and marketing the quality seedlings and fetching profit for improving their livelihoods,” he informed.

He added, the project has also enabled women to initiate different profitable groups, through which they engage into cultivation of vegetables, poultry projects and livestock keeping.

“The project targets to produce at least 2.5million coffee seedlings within three years, whereby up to currently we have so far produced over 80 percent of the set targets, but also we support production of 500,000 seeds for timber trees and fruits,” he added.

On her part, Mary Mkonyi, Country Manager for Solidaridad, said the have decided to organize the gathering so as to chart ways in which the public and private sectors can glue efforts to lay down strategies for the sustainable development of the vital economic sector in the country.

“We have gathered here with numerous players to review and set viable strategies to elevate the quality of the country’s coffee produce, but also to see how best the financial institutions can chip in and assist the farmers to expand and improve their production scope,” she detailed.

And according to her, a huge percent of the country’s coffee growers are maintaining small plantations hence stand a negative side to fetch huge profits in the market.

“The vision, among others, is to have the farmers improve coffee quality and cultivation scope so as to stand a possible chance to generate considerable profits,” Mkonyi.

Speaking on behalf of the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) Director General (DG), Sijali Boa, TCB’s zonal manager, spoke over the need for the farmers to be equipped with the recommended agronomic practices to help them deal with the effects of climate change.

Coffee is Tanzania’s 3rd largest export crop, contributing 14.1 percent of total export value, whereby the sector stands second for fetching the country foreign currencies, at a tune at least 24 percent, after tobacco.

Attracting more than 450,000 families across the country (through direct employment), the sector has a total of 2.4 million people that are engaging in its value chain.

The country is endowed with abundant land and enjoys the appropriate climatic conditions (temperature and rainfall), altitude and soil composition suitable for the production of high-quality coffee.