Tanzania plans to triple coffee production by 2021

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Tanzania launched a ten year program in 2011/2012 to increase its coffee production and quality from 50,000 tons annually to 150,000 tons in 2020/2021, according to a report by South African media The Citizen.

Tanzania hopes to reach its production target in the next five years by increasing competitiveness of small holder farmers, as per the ten year plan launched in 2011/2012. The program aims to increase income and improve the livelihoods of farmers.

“The challenge ahead of us is to meet the demand of hybrid seedlings needed for distribution and replanting of about 365,000 hectares,” said a report presented to stakeholders by Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI).

TaCRI has released 15 Arabica coffee high yielding disease resistant varieties from its breeding program, which have resistance to Coffee Wilt Disease (CWD).

Around 36 coffee pests have been reported in East Africa, with the major ones being the Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR).

The Tanzanian economy relies heavily on agriculture, and it provides 24 percent of the country's national gross domestic product.

According to the Tanzanian Coffee Industry Development Strategy, a report by the Tanzania Coffee Board, the bitter bean is one of Tanzania’s primary agricultural export commodities, accounting for about 5 percent of total export value, and generating export earnings averaging 100 million US dollars per annum over the last 30 years.

The industry provides direct income to more than 400,000 farmer households, thus supporting the livelihoods of an estimated 2.4 million individuals.