529
seasons, it covers more than 100% of the domestic food needs. The 2012
Population and Housing Census showed that Tanzania had 44.9 million people
in 2012, with an average intercensal growth rate of 2.7% per annum; in 2016, it
was estimated to be 50.1 million people (URT 2016a). The human population
projections show that Tanzania is expected to reach 63.5 million in 2025 (URT
2006). Rapid population growth impacts the water resources coverage, and
because of that, the per capita water use has been decreasing over time.
According to the key note presentation by the Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry of Water, which was delivered at the 1st Maji Week Annual Scientific
Conference in Dodoma (18–19 March 2019), Tanzania had 7862 m
3
per capita
water use per year in 1962; however, due to population growth, increase in water
demand to meet requirements for various socio-economic activities, pollution
and climate change, this amount had decreased to 2600 m
3
in 2015; it is projected to further decrease to 1985 m
3
, 1605 m
3
and 434 m
3
for the years 2025,
2035 and 2050, respectively. The decrease in water availability is expected to
result in adverse effects on agriculture.
According to the National Irrigation Master Plan (NIMP) (URT 2018),
Tanzania has a total of about 7.1 million ha of high and medium potential land
(2.3 and 4.8 million ha, respectively) suitable for irrigation, supported by rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers (URT 2016b). Of the 2.3 million ha classified
as high potential, only 461,326 ha had improved irrigation infrastructure in
2015, accounting for only 1.6% of the total land with irrigation potential (URT
2016b). Agriculture provides work for 14.7 million people, or 79% of the total
economically active population, and 54% of agricultural workers are female
(URT 2010b). Small-scale subsistence farmers comprise more than 90% of the
farming population, with medium- and large-scale farmers accounting for the
rest. Almost 80% of Tanzanians depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for
their livelihood. The majority of these are smallholder farmers; their productivity is remarkably low and they are highly vulnerable to food insecurity.
Unreliable rainfall, both within the season and from 1 year to another, is a
constraint to the development of rain-fed agriculture in Tanzania in most parts
of the country.
The main feature of the smallholder farming in Tanzania is characterized by
the plot sizes, which are in many cases less than 1 ha. A study by Kashaigili
(2007) revealed plots of between 0.42 and 0.66 acres (0.17–0.27 ha) for individuals under participatory farming groups and between 2.63 (1.06 ha) and 3.0 acres
(1.21 ha) for private farmers. The majority of farmers rely on hand hoes as their
main cultivating tools, although a small percentage use tractors and draft animals. The main food crops grown are maize, okra, cucumber, tomatoes, sorghum,
millet, paddy, wheat, sweet potato, cassava, pulses and bananas. The yields of
most crops are generally low, primarily due to the dependence on rain-fed agriculture that is highly variable. In very rare cases, groundwater has been used for
irrigation as there has been very little attention to it nationwide. In many areas,
especially in arid and semi-arid areas, groundwater development has always
been for domestic water supply.
Smallholder Farming in Mara and Iringa Regions, Tanzania: Current Practices…
seasons, it covers more than 100% of the domestic food needs. The 2012
Population and Housing Census showed that Tanzania had 44.9 million people
in 2012, with an average intercensal growth rate of 2.7% per annum; in 2016, it
was estimated to be 50.1 million people (URT 2016a). The human population
projections show that Tanzania is expected to reach 63.5 million in 2025 (URT
2006). Rapid population growth impacts the water resources coverage, and
because of that, the per capita water use has been decreasing over time.
According to the key note presentation by the Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry of Water, which was delivered at the 1st Maji Week Annual Scientific
Conference in Dodoma (18–19 March 2019), Tanzania had 7862 m
3
per capita
water use per year in 1962; however, due to population growth, increase in water
demand to meet requirements for various socio-economic activities, pollution
and climate change, this amount had decreased to 2600 m
3
in 2015; it is projected to further decrease to 1985 m
3
, 1605 m
3
and 434 m
3
for the years 2025,
2035 and 2050, respectively. The decrease in water availability is expected to
result in adverse effects on agriculture.
According to the National Irrigation Master Plan (NIMP) (URT 2018),
Tanzania has a total of about 7.1 million ha of high and medium potential land
(2.3 and 4.8 million ha, respectively) suitable for irrigation, supported by rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers (URT 2016b). Of the 2.3 million ha classified
as high potential, only 461,326 ha had improved irrigation infrastructure in
2015, accounting for only 1.6% of the total land with irrigation potential (URT
2016b). Agriculture provides work for 14.7 million people, or 79% of the total
economically active population, and 54% of agricultural workers are female
(URT 2010b). Small-scale subsistence farmers comprise more than 90% of the
farming population, with medium- and large-scale farmers accounting for the
rest. Almost 80% of Tanzanians depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for
their livelihood. The majority of these are smallholder farmers; their productivity is remarkably low and they are highly vulnerable to food insecurity.
Unreliable rainfall, both within the season and from 1 year to another, is a
constraint to the development of rain-fed agriculture in Tanzania in most parts
of the country.
The main feature of the smallholder farming in Tanzania is characterized by
the plot sizes, which are in many cases less than 1 ha. A study by Kashaigili
(2007) revealed plots of between 0.42 and 0.66 acres (0.17–0.27 ha) for individuals under participatory farming groups and between 2.63 (1.06 ha) and 3.0 acres
(1.21 ha) for private farmers. The majority of farmers rely on hand hoes as their
main cultivating tools, although a small percentage use tractors and draft animals. The main food crops grown are maize, okra, cucumber, tomatoes, sorghum,
millet, paddy, wheat, sweet potato, cassava, pulses and bananas. The yields of
most crops are generally low, primarily due to the dependence on rain-fed agriculture that is highly variable. In very rare cases, groundwater has been used for
irrigation as there has been very little attention to it nationwide. In many areas,
especially in arid and semi-arid areas, groundwater development has always
been for domestic water supply.
Smallholder Farming in Mara and Iringa Regions, Tanzania: Current Practices…