Modern agriculture key to food security, says Kabudi
MOROGORO: FOR decades, the fertile stretches from Lumuma through Kidete to Mkata have held immense agricultural promise.
Yet, like much of rural Tanzania, local farmers in Kilosa District have remained bound to the unpredictable rhythms of seasonal rainfall and the steep transport costs of moving produce to distant markets. That dynamic is about to change dramatically.
The government is rolling out a targeted strategy to transform the fertile belt served by the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) into a vibrant, year-round commercial irrigation zone establishing logistics-led agriculture as the new engine of regional economic growth.
At the heart of this transformation is the strategic integration of modern infrastructure with commercial farming.
Speaking during a working tour of Magomeni Ward in Kilosa District on Tuesday, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, Coordination and Persons with Disabilities), Prof Palamagamba Kabudi, highlighted plans to tap the corridor’s vast water potential and rich soils to liberate farmers from complete reliance on seasonal rainfalls.
By converting the Lumuma–Kidete–Mkata stretch into a dedicated irrigation hub, the initiative aims to ensure continuous, multi-season crop output regardless of whether shifts.
“We want this corridor served by the SGR to become a centre for commercial irrigation farming so that increased production can improve household incomes and contribute to national economic growth,” Prof Kabudi emphasised.
High-Speed Logistics Meet High-Yield Farming The true power of the initiative lies in bridging the traditional gap between rural farmgate and high-value markets.
Connecting high-yield irrigation schemes directly to fast rail transport will allow growers to ship perishable produce such as vegetables, fruits and staple grains to major urban centres and regional export destinations at unprecedented speeds.
Lowering transit costs and eliminating long delays in transit is also expected to catalyse investments in local agro-processing ventures along the rail line, keeping more of the value addition within Kilosa District.
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Strategic Land Protection and Pastoral Reform To support this grand logistical strategy, the government is taking parallel steps to protect prime farming areas and resolve long-standing landuse conflicts in the region: Gazetting Strategic Valleys: Procedures are being finalised to formally protect the Kisaki, Manyenyere, Mabana and Mbigiri valleys as dedicated horticultural production zones.
Prof Kabudi warned that these fertile basins are strategic national assets that must be safeguarded from environmental degradation or illegal encroachment.
Modernising Livestock Keeping: To curb historical clashes between crop farmers and nomadic herdsmen over grazing routes, the government has set aside land at Madoto for a pilot pasture farm.
The facility will demonstrate modern, settled livestock management, enabling pastoralists to improve animal health and income while ending destructive open-range grazing.
Securing the Investment Environment: Highlighting the link between public safety and farm output, local leaders and residents including Magomeni Ward Councillor Dr Sudi Salum and resident Ms Tausi Ally called for strengthened community policing to protect farms, goods and lives.
With agriculture employing over two-thirds of Tanzania’s workforce, turning the SGR corridor into an irrigated commercial hub offers a clear template for the future: where modern logistics, water management and rural security align to build sustainable national food security.
