The agriculture sector in Tanzania generates about 24% of the Gross Domestic Product and contributes to 30% of export earnings. It provides livelihood to over 80% of the population and employs 75% of the total labor force. Generally, food and cash crops account for about 65% and 10%, respectively. The major food crops are maize, sorghum, millet, rice, wheat, pulses, cassava, potatoes, bananas and plantains. Smallholder farmers dominate the agricultural sector with average farm sizes of between 0.2 - 2.0 hectares. Women are the primary source of agricultural labor in the country and use poor technology in unreliable weather conditions.

Tanzania is relatively food secure with substantial regional variability due to localized food crop failures of varying magnitudes and vulnerability. The major constraints facing the agriculture sector are declining cheap labor and decreasing land productivity as a result of poor technology and over reliance on highly variable weather conditions. Tanzania’s dependency on rainfed agriculture makes it acutely vulnerable to weather changes. Unreliable rainfall in terms of intensity and distribution as well as extreme events such as drought and flood are one of the most likely and damaging production risks to Tanzanian agriculture.