Lessons from Gatsby Africa’s Tanzania Cotton Sector Development Programme
Gatsby Africa’s involvement in Tanzania’s cotton sector spanned over a decade, beginning in 2007 with a research study into the sector and setting up a programme of work with the aim of transforming the sector in 2009. By 2022, despite making progress, the hoped-for transformation had not been achieved.
Gatsby introduced improved seeds, facilitated the adoption of conservation farming practices and improved local markets for inputs, helping to raise yields by up to 70% in targeted areas, impacting an estimated 250,000 farmers.
However, broader structural changes in the sector were elusive. A range of contract farming models were developed and showed promise but lacked the political support necessary for national roll-out. As a result, the scale of investment in farming and processing needed to transform the productivity and incomes of both farmers and ginners was not forthcoming.
Gatsby’s work has nevertheless left a legacy of sustainable rural business networks that continue to support farmers with inputs and advice, even though the sector’s overall transformation was not realised. The potential remains for future government-led reforms to build on the groundwork laid by the programme.
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