Building a Resilient and Sustainable Sorghum Value Chain in Tanzania’s Lake Zone Region

Assan Ng’ombe, Mupangi Sithole, Collins Muimi Musafiri, Milka Kiboi, Tomas Sales and Felix Ngetich ()
Additional contact information
Assan Ng’ombe: AGRA, West End Towers, 4th Floor, Muthangari Drive, Off Waiyaki Way, Nairobi P.O. Box 66773-00800, Kenya
Mupangi Sithole: United Nations Development Programme, UN House Level 08, Metropark Building, 351 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Collins Muimi Musafiri: Cortile Scientific Limited, Nairobi P.O. Box 34991-00100, Kenya
Milka Kiboi: Department of International Cooperation Ackerstrasse 113, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), 5070 Frick, Switzerland
Tomas Sales: United Nations Development Programme, UN House Level 08, Metropark Building, 351 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Felix Ngetich: Cortile Scientific Limited, Nairobi P.O. Box 34991-00100, Kenya

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: Climate change and low agricultural productivity are the major hurdles facing sorghum farming in the Lake Zone Region of Tanzania. However, there is limited information on the contribution of sustainable projects in greening the sorghum value chain in Tanzania. This study aims to analyze how to develop a resilient and sustainable sorghum value chain using a project approach. Primary and secondary data were collected and used. Primary data were collected using key informant interviews (KII) administered to the value chain actors using audio recordings and notes. Secondary data were obtained from project-related project documents, reports, publications, and conference proceedings. The audio recordings were transcribed into lengthy notes summarized for ease of interview theme identification. To enhance access to improved seeds and fertilizers and advisory services, a linkage between the agro-dealers (input suppliers), farmers, and extension personnel was established to improve farmers’ yield potential. Good agricultural practices, e.g., planting methods and pest management and improved seed varieties that were drought tolerant, early maturing, and high yielding, such as Macia and Tegemeo, were readily available in shops and promoted through the establishment of demo plots. Local aggregation of sorghum grain helped to ease transport-to-market logistics for farmers and contributed to lower transport costs. Mechanized threshing was promoted to ensure the high-quality crop is sold to the off-taker for premium prices and meets the export market requirements. We highlight the Lake Zone project experiences and lessons learned to demonstrate the potential for building resilience and sustainability of the sorghum value chain.

Keywords: good agronomic practices; sorghum value chain; resilience; rural development; sustainabilitys (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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