The National Irrigation Commission of Tanzania has announced plans to develop 13 irrigation schemes for agriculture in Mbeya region to improve crop yields.

The new facilities will be spread over 24,550 hectares of land in the districts of Mbarali, Kyela, Rungwe. According to the director of National Irrigation Commission, Raymond Mndolwa, the 13 irrigation schemes will be commissioned in June 2023. The work will be funded by Tanzania Treasury through the 2022/23 financial year.

Future irrigation systems

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Tanzania is experiencing continued growth in its agricultural sector, especially for staple foods such as maize, cassava, rice, sorghum and bananas.

The new irrigation project will improve wheat yields in a context market by the drought in Mbeya, which is manifested in the absence of rainfall, and the Ukrainian crisis which causes international prices to rise.

The future irrigation systems will support the existing equipment. Existing facilities will be rehabilitated.

This project is being launched at a time when several others such initiatives are underway in Tanzania, including construction of a 268 m3 water reservoir to irrigate 11,700 hectares of farmland. This project, will be launched in April 2021, aims to improve farmers production within five years.