Unguja. Zanzibar meets only a fraction of its rice needs, with an annual deficit of 127,608 tonnes that is largely covered through imports, the government has said.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Livestock, Mr Salum Soud Hamed, told the House that the islands require about 153,000 tonnes of rice each year but produce only 40,391.97 tonnes of paddy, equivalent to roughly 26,000 tonnes of milled rice, or 17 percent of total demand.
He was responding to a question from Mr Jaku Hashim Ayoub, who sought clarification on domestic production levels and the volume of rice imported to bridge the supply gap.
According to Mr Hamed, the latest assessment for the 2024/25 period confirmed the scale of the deficit, with imports continuing to play a central role in stabilising supply.
The government, however, says it is stepping up efforts to boost local production. Measures include expanding irrigation infrastructure in key rice-growing valleys and allocating 8,521 hectares for irrigation development across six valleys in Unguja and Pemba.
Authorities are also building two rice storage facilities with a combined capacity of 60,000 tonnes to strengthen food reserves. Once completed, total paddy storage capacity is expected to reach 80,000 tonnes, enabling the government to release supplies during shortages.
Mr Hamed further said a government directive to strengthen paddy farming and reduce dependence on imports has been fully implemented through a project completed in 2025. The initiative delivered six new irrigation schemes equipped with modern infrastructure, including 39 wells, three concrete dams, 82.17 kilometres of canals, 72.47 kilometres of drainage channels and 85.43 kilometres of farm access roads.
In 2011, the House of Representatives issued a special directive to promote paddy production and advance food self-sufficiency, with a dedicated budget for implementation. However, no comprehensive evaluation has yet been conducted to assess progress made under the directive.
