Musoma Food Company Limited (MFCL) is one of the leading suppliers of grain and cereal food products in the Lake Zone. The company processes and markets about 6,500MT of rice per annum. The company is planning to access an addition of 11,800MT of paddy rice to be able to supply the growing EA regional market. Despite such a market potential most smallholder farmers are not able to supply such market due to low yield. Realizing the potential of working with small holder farmers, CARI is working with 5521 farmers in Shinyanga, Igunga and Geita to increase the supply of rice through SHYRICE consortium led by MFCL. About 2454 farmers have been trained on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) through lead farmers and 41CARI demo plots, Mr Tangawizi being one of them.
Mr. Saidi Tangawizi (48) is a small holder farmer living in Kakumbi village in Mbogwe district, producing rice from 6 acres for paddy, 15 acres for maize and 3acres for tobacco. Among the 3 crops; paddy was the least productive crop before CARI. Through CARI intervention Mr. Tangawizi have learnt GAPs demonstration plots and then started rice production using new techniques.
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