Zanzibar gets boosts from greenhouse tech
Mr Juma Omar Abdallah, the TAHA isles extension officer in-charge of Unguja and Pemba operations, has revealed that the number of farmers involved in horticulture in the Islands have increased from 250 when this type of agriculture was introduced in 2012, to the current 1,800 growers.
From Arusha and across the sea into Zanzibar, horticulture farmers there now grow tomatoes, all types of pepper, okra, eggplants and watermelons. A recent visit to the farms revealed that many growers were busy at work and said they were investing in heat and humidity enduring crops and apparently they seem to be paying back well.
In addition to introducing the sector to Zanzibar, TAHA is assisting the growers through providing them with in-puts, especially quality seeds as well as advanced technology and training to enable the growers undertake this new type of farming without problem.
The tech offered include greenhouse, drip-irrigation and using solar energy for water pumping. The now flourishing horticulture industry in Zanzibar has helped the Isles to reduce its annual importation of vegetable and fruits from the previous 80 per cent figure down to around 50 per cent in the period of five years since the alternative farming was introduced there.
Source: allafrica.com