10,000-tractor plan takes shape to boosts farm mechanisation

DODOMA: THE government has begun implementing its plan to distribute 10,000 tractors across villages, with 79 agricultural machinery service centres already established and hundreds of tractors and power tillers supplied to bring mechanisation services closer to farmers.

Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Dennis Londo, told the National Assembly yesterday during the Questions and Answers session that implementation of the programme was already underway.

He was responding to a basic question from Asha Motto (Special Seats, CCM), who sought clarification on when the government would fulfil its pledge to distribute 10,000 tractors to villages across the country.

Mr Londo said the government had so far purchased 555 large tractors and 800 power tillers, which were being distributed through the 79 service centres established to provide agricultural machinery services to farmers.

He said the centres were designed to bring mechanisation services closer to farmers, including members of cooperative societies.

According to Mr Londo, cooperative societies would serve as tractor-hiring centres, while the government would continue supporting them to acquire tractors for rental services.

He said implementation was progressing at an encouraging pace, noting that the government had achieved the current milestones within just three months of implementing the 2026/27 budget.

Mr Londo expressed confidence that the government would meet the 10,000-tractor target within the planned period.

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He added that preparations were underway to launch the second phase of the National Agricultural Mechanisation Strategy, which would further strengthen private-sector participation in the supply of agricultural machinery.

He said the strategy would provide opportunities for private investors to establish agricultural machinery assembly plants, with the government having set aside 40 areas for such investments.

In a supplementary question, Ms Motto asked whether priority could be given to Mtwara to ensure farmers received adequate machinery to increase agricultural production.

Responding, Mr Londo said the government recognises Mtwara’s potential to become an agricultural economic centre and would continue implementing programmes to expand access to agricultural machinery.

The deputy minister further said the government is planning to establish 1,000 integrated agricultural service centres in different areas through cooperative societies.