Skip to main content

Tanzania

Remotely monitored country
Tanzania
Tanzania flag
Heading
Remotely Monitored Country
Description

As of December 2017, FEWS NET is no longer preparing regular food security reports on Tanzania. Currently, analysts monitor the food security situation in Tanzania and will draft special reports as needed to provide early warning or in-depth analysis of food insecurity drivers. Reporting on Tanzanian staple production, marketing and trade, and exportable surpluses will be done through the semi-annual Regional Supply and Market Outlook reports for southern and East Africa, monthly regional price watches, and, as appropriate, neighboring countries’ markets and trade-focused analyses.

Market Fundamentals
August 2018
Tanzania Market Fundamentals Summary
  • The objective of this report is to document the basic market context for staple food and livestock production and marketing in Tanzania.  The information presented is based on desk research, a field assessment using rapid rural appraisal techniques, and a consultation workshop with stakehoders in Tanzania. Findings from this report will inform regular market monitoring and analysis in Tanzania. 

  • Maize, rice, sorghum, millet, pulses (beans and peas), cassava and bananas (plantains) are the main staple foods in Tanzania.  Maize is the most widely consumed staple in Tanzania and the country imports significant quantities of wheat to meet local demand for wheat flour. Consumption of other staples varies across the country based on local supply and demand dynamics. Cattle, goat and sheep are the major sources of red meat consumed in Tanzania.

  • Tanzania’s cropping calendar follows two distinct seasonal patterns.  The Msimu season covers unimodal rainfall areas in the south, west and central parts of the country while the Masika and Vuli seasons cover bi-modal rainfall areas in the north and eastern parts of the country (Figure 5).

  • As a member of the East Africa Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Tanzania plays an important role in regional staple food trade across East and Southern Africa (Annex III).  The country is generally a surplus producer of staple cereals and pulses, and exports significant quantities of these commodities to neighboring countries in East and Southern Africa inlcuding Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratice Republic of Congo (Figure 2).

  • A large network of traders support the collection, distribution and retailing of staple foods across the country with no significant barriers to entry (Annex I).  The most significant domestic staple food marketing corridor originates from the surplus producing regions of Rukwa, Mbeya, Njombe and Ruvuma with Dar es Salaam as the key destination market (Figure 1).  High transportation and market information costs are key factors limiting the efficient flow of staple foods from surplus producing areas to deficit areas within Tanzania.

Read the full analysis
Latest Analysis Latest Analysis
View All Tanzania Latest Analysis
Food Security
No reports available.
Agroclimatology
No reports available.
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Tanzania Price Bulletin Tanzania February 2024
Price Bulletin Tanzania Price Bulletin Tanzania January 2024
Price Bulletin Tanzania Price Bulletin Tanzania December 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
No reports available.
Food Security
No reports available.
Agroclimatology
No reports available.
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Tanzania Price Bulletin Tanzania February 2024
Price Bulletin Tanzania Price Bulletin Tanzania January 2024
Price Bulletin Tanzania Price Bulletin Tanzania December 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
No reports available.
Seasonal Calendar Seasonal Calendar
Description

The Seasonal Calendar shows the annual and cyclical patterns of key food and income sources in a country throughout the typical year.

Seasonal Calendar Tanzania
Production & Trade Flow Maps
FEWS NET captures the market networks for a product in a given country or region, including their catchments and trade flow patterns.
Wheat, Normal Year Sorghum and Millet, Normal Year Rice, Normal Year Maize, Normal Year Livestock, Normal Year Cassava, Normal Year
Remote Sensing Imagery Remote Sensing Imagery
Description

USGS-provided data and imagery supports FEWS NET's monitoring efforts of weather and climate throughout the world.

View all remote sensing imagery
Livelihood Zone Resources Livelihood Zone Resources
Tanzania Livelihood Zone Descriptions, September 2008 Tanzania Livelihood Zone Map
Get the latest food security updates in your inbox Sign up for emails

The information provided on this Website is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.

Jump back to top