Small Family Farms Country Factsheet

Tanzania is a low-income country in Eastern Africa with a population reaching nearly 56 million inhabitants. Agriculture remains a cornerstone of the
economy, providing 31 percent to GDP and contributing 24.9 percent of annual export earnings, in particular through the main export crops cashew,
tobacco, sugar, coffee and cotton. Tanzania records a continuous agricultural sector growth and is considered largely self-sufficient in its main staple
crop maize. Cassava, paddy, sorghum and bananas are the second most widely grown staple crops by farmers. 68 percent of Tanzania’s work force engage in
farming, both in rural and urban areas. However, 83 percent of all holdings are run by small family farmers who dominate the agricultural sector by contributing around 75 percent of the total agricultural output. Livestock and poultry play an important role in the economy of a Tanzanian small family farm; the second source of income.