Kilimanjaro - Tanzania Online Gateway

SECTION VI
6.0 POTENTIAL INVESTIMENT AREAS
6.1 Agriculture:
Agriculture is the main economic activity contributing over 75
percent employment to the rural population and contributing
greatly about 60% to the region’s GDP. The Highland and
Intermediate zones are the most agricultural potential areas in the
regions. They are fertile, with good reliable rains and moderate
temperatures. With these much agricultural advantages their zones
are capable of producing a variety of food and cash crops both
tropical and temperate ones and are much suited for dairly
farming. However, these two zones are highly populated with
densities ranging from 250 persons/sqkm in the intermediate zone
to 650 people in the highland zone. The lowland zone is relatively
dry with unrealiable rains. It is in this zone that population density
is low less than 50 people/sq km. Irrigation farming is popular in
this zone. River water is the main source for irrigation.
Agricultural land occupied 6,433 sq km regionwise, out of this
333,640 hekta is under cultivation. Important cash crops being
coffee, cotton, sugar cane, sisal, sunflower, beans and wheat.
Important food crops are bananas, bean and maize. In the
highland areas average hectarage owned per family is 0.5 while in
lowlands it is ajbout 1.5 hectares/family. The much scramble for
land in the region has led much exodus to other regions the
country.
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