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Rice farmers have been encouraged to embrace the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standards for sustainable rice cultivation, aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensuring the production of rice that meets international market requirements.
This call was recently made in Morogoro during a seven-day SRP training session organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) under the Project of capacity development and experience sharing for Rice Value Chains through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC). The training took place from February 29 to March 2, 2024, and from March 4 to 7, 2024.
Funded by the government of Korea and executed by FAO across three countries – the Philippines, Ivory Coast, and Tanzania – the project focuses on the efficient utilization of resources in rice production systems, including land, water, fertilizers, pesticides, and improved seeds, while prioritizing environmental protection.
Mr. Deomedes Kalisa, the FAO National Project Coordinator in Tanzania, highlighted the accomplishments of the four-year project (2020–2024), which included TARI researchers visiting the Philippines to learn about their rice farming practices.
During the training, Dr. Thomas Bwana, the Director General of TARI, expressed gratitude to FAO for their support, enabling TARI to fulfill its responsibilities, and urged FAO to continue aiding in improving the livelihoods of Tanzanian farmers.
Dr. Kulwa Furahisha, a researcher from TARI Ifakara, praised the project for equipping rice farmers with practical knowledge and skills to meet international market standards without harming the environment.
One of the beneficiaries of the training, Mr. Nassor Katoto, a rice farmer from Dakawa in Mvomero District, Morogoro Region, mentioned that he gained valuable theoretical and practical knowledge from the researchers. Katoto highlighted skills acquired in rice nursery preparation, reducing seed usage from 20 kilograms per hectare to 3-5 kilograms compared to traditional methods.
The training involved FAO representatives, agriculture officers from various rice schemes in Morogoro, Iringa, and Mbeya regions of Tanzania, farmers, key stakeholders along the rice value chains, and researchers from TARI.
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