Improved seed varieties and new farming practices are expected to help Zanzibar farmers improve their productivity and reduce rural poverty.

An article in All Africa outlines how many farmers in Zanzibar have limited access to improved planting material and are not adequately equipped to compete in international markets.

"We shall equip the farmers with effective ways of using improved seed variety, able to resist the dry weather of the island and adopt ways to improve soil fertility,” said Haji Saleh, the Director of Kizimbani Agricultural Research Institute.

The Institute is involving farmers in agricultural research and helping them to acquire entrepreneurial skills. The farmers are also being encouraged to make use of practices that increase productivity, enhance climate resilience and increase soil carbon sequestration. These include agroforestry, conservation agriculture and soil and water management.

While agriculture in Zanzibar makes a significant contribution to GDP and employment, productivity is low. A number of factors contribute to this, including inadequate provision of agricultural support services and limited access to appropriate technologies

Read the full story: Farmers to Acquire Business Skills