Serengeti to promote onion farming

Serengeti District Council is planning to introduce onion farming as an additional cash crop to boost income of farmers, thus help to alleviate poverty in the area. A delegation of council officials conducted a study tour of Mang’ora Village in Karatu District where onion farming has become a success story to the extent of attracting markets as far as neighbouring countries such as Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. “We are going to sensitise farmers to start cultivating onions. It is profitable and environmental friendly. We believe it will help in poverty alleviation efforts,” the Vice- Chairman of Serengeti District Council, Mr Jumanne Kwiro, remarked shortly after they visited large farms of onions in Karatu District of Arusha Region, last week. Presently, major cash crops grown by farmers in Serengeti District is tobacco and cotton but environmentalists are worried that tobacco farming may cause environmental threat in the area if strict measures are not put in place. The tour was also designed to make the officials learn things that will help them promote tourism and conservation sectors in the district. They conducted the tour at a time when plans by the council to build modern airport, designed to transform Mugumu into a tourist hub, are reportedly in an advanced stage. The delegation was led by Serengeti District Council Chairman Mr John Ng’oina who described the tour as fruitful. They also visited Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Babati District among other areas