According to Mara Regional Commissioner John Tupa, Tanzania has officially opened avenues for large-scale tobacco farming to be implemented in the Rorya, Serengeti and Tarime districts of the Mara Region.
Production will now sharply increase as hundreds of farmers in the region have started cultivating tobacco crops while Serengeti farmers have registered a total revenue for this season of more than 8 billion TZS after selling 2,520.13 tonnes of tobacco making it the leading tobacco producer in the region.
Councillor for Kebanchabancha ward Philemon Chacha said “Tobacco is the saviour of Serengeti farmers as billions are being collected from the sales of this crop, while my ward is taking a lead in the number of farmers”.
Commissioner Tupa has also confirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives has permitted farmers in the three districts to embark on large scale production of the crop. “Tobacco farming has been carried out on testing basis for about three years. Farmers have now been given the green light by the ministry,”
While Tanzania acknowledges that tobacco is one of the most profitable crops, the country is also pursuing sustainable and responsible farming practices in the Serengeti District that consists of 70 % game protected areas and World Heritage Site; Serengeti National Park.
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