Fertiliser Value Chain Information Flows Tanzania

Increased agricultural income is central to reducing poverty in Tanzania, and is a key component in the National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction (MKUKUTA in Swahili acronyms). Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy contributing about 45 percent of GDP and employing approximately 80 percent of the labour force. Agriculture accounts for most of the economic activity in rural areas. The sale of agricultural commodities accounts for 70 percent of rural incomes. Most Tanzanian farms (over 50 percent) are smallholder plots of less than one hectare. Almost all of Tanzanian agriculture depends on rainfall, productivity is very low and yields fluctuate widely from season to season due to a number of reasons.