Inside the quiet transformation behind Tanzania’s rising agricultural powerhouse

An interview with Vianey Rweyendela, AGRA Tanzania Country Director

As AGRA launches its AGRA@20 journey on the global stage in Davos reframing African agriculture as one of the world’s most under-invested yet highest-return opportunities—the conversation naturally turns to what two decades of evidence look like on the ground. In Tanzania, where AGRA has worked closely with government, farmers, and the private sector since 2006, this long-term, systems-based approach has translated into measurable gains in productivity, market development, policy reform, and farmer incomes.

In an interview with the Daily News, Vianey Rweyendela, Tanzania Country Director of AGRA, tells the story of how two decades of deliberate systems building have helped turn Tanzania’s agriculture from a survival activity into a viable, investable economic sector reshaping markets, raising farmer incomes, and setting the stage for a more competitive agri-food economy in the decade ahead.

QN: AGRA is marking 20 years of work in Tanzania. Looking back, how would you describe AGRA’s journey and contribution to the country’s agricultural transformation?

ANS: AGRA’s 20-year journey in Tanzania has been about building systems, not just projects. When we started in 2006, smallholder agriculture was largely subsistence-based, with limited access to quality seeds, inputs, extension services, and markets. Over the years, working closely with the Government and multiple partners, we have contributed to a shift of agriculture toward a more productive, market-oriented and inclusive sector.

Our contribution spans from seed systems development, extension services, policy reforms, and market integration. Today, Tanzania has a far more vibrant and liberal seed industry, stronger agro-dealer networks, and improved policy frameworks that attract private sector investment. This long-term, partnership-driven approach has been key to sustainable impact.

QN: What would you highlight as AGRA’s most significant impactful areas over these two decades?

ANS: One of our strongest contributions has been transforming the seed system. Since 2006, AGRA has supported the development and release of 44 crop varieties, with 30 already commercialized, including widely adopted maize, rice, beans, soybean, and pigeon pea varieties. Local seed production has grown from less than 20 percent in 2006 to over 60 percent today.

We have also invested heavily in human capital—supporting the training of 16 PhDs and 27 MSc graduates in crop breeding, soil science, and agronomy. These professionals are now strengthening national research institutions and the private seed sector, creating long-term capacity for innovation.

QN: AGRA is known for its agribusiness platforms consortia model. How has this approach changed farming and agribusiness in Tanzania?

ANS: The agribusiness platforms consortia model has been a game-changer. It brings together farmers, input suppliers, processors, off-takers, financial institutions, and government actors into coordinated value-chain partnerships. This has reduced transaction costs, improved market predictability, and brought services closer to farmers.

Independent evaluations show that in agribusiness platforms consortia areas, rice yields increased by 69 percent and bean yields by 180 percent, while seed sales grew by over 90 percent. Importantly, this model helped create a seed business value estimated at USD 16 million in Tanzania, proving that smallholder-centered systems can also be commercially viable.

So you know under BBT interventions its refined agribusiness platforms consortia adopted by government and all other BBT partners to comprehensively attain impact.

QN: Access to extension services has been a long-standing challenge in Tanzania. What role has AGRA played in addressing this?

ANS: Extension has been one of our core focus areas. Recognizing the shortage of public extension officers, AGRA supported the training and deployment of Village-Based Advisors (VBAs). To date, nearly 10,000 VBAs have been trained, each serving between 100 and 200 farmers. Most importantly is the “reverse extension”, which the extension services driven by market dynamics moving backwards to inform farmers the best farm investment options for improved farm profitabilities thus improving lives.

These advisors provide practical agronomic advice, run demonstration plots, and link farmers to input and output markets. As a result, farmers’ access to advisory services has improved significantly, and the distance travelled to access inputs has reduced in many areas—from about 12 kilometres to as low as 5 kilometres.

QN: Policy reform is often invisible to the public, yet critical. What has AGRA achieved on this front?

AND: Indeed, policy work is less visible but highly impactful. AGRA has collectively with other sector partners supported reforms in seed, fertilizer, and trade policies, including private sector access to public seed varieties, harmonization with COMESA and SADC seed regulations, and Tanzania’s accreditation with the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA).

We also supported reforms that reduced fertilizer testing timelines and costs, and contributed to easing grain export procedures by shifting from manual to online systems. These reforms have improved predictability, reduced business risks, and encouraged private investment across agricultural value chains.

QN: Tanzania is now recording food surpluses. How does AGRA view this milestone?

ANS: This is a significant achievement. Recent figures show Tanzania’s food self-sufficiency ratio at around 128 percent, meaning the country produces more food than its domestic needs. The case was very much different 20 years a go when Tanzania was a net food importer. While this is the result of collective efforts, AGRA’s investments in improved seeds, climate-resilient varieties, extension services, and market linkages have contributed meaningfully to this progress.

The next step is to translate surplus into sustained farmer incomes by strengthening regional trade and value addition, positioning Tanzania as a reliable food basket for East and Central Africa.

QN: Youth and women inclusion has become a national priority. How is AGRA responding?

ANS: Youth and women are central to AGRA’s strategy. Through initiatives such as Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT), we are working with the Government and other sector partners to create dignified work opportunities in agribusiness. Our current strategy aims to reach over one million youth and generate more than 521,000 work opportunities, particularly for young women.

We focus on making agriculture attractive and viable by improving access to skills, finance, modern technologies, and structured markets. Inclusion is not just a social goal—it is an economic imperative for sustainable transformation.

QN: Looking ahead, what is AGRA’s vision for Tanzania’s agriculture over the next decade?

ANS: Our vision is clear: a competitive, inclusive, and resilient agricultural sector that creates jobs, feeds the nation, and drives export growth. Under AGRA’s 2023–2027 strategy, we are focusing on priority value chains such as maize, rice, sunflower, and horticulture, with clear targets for productivity, incomes, and investment mobilization.

We aim to support Tanzania in unlocking over USD 1.3 billion in public and private investments, strengthening regional trade, and ensuring that smallholder farmers—especially youth and women—are fully integrated into modern agri-food systems. This is how agriculture becomes a true engine of national development.

ANS: AGRA has rolled out several flagship initiatives in recent years. Can you explain how recent programs such as YEFFA and REGAIN fit into AGRA’s broader strategy of partnership and systems change, and what impact they are having on youth employment and food security in Tanzania?

ANS: Our recent programs are deliberately designed to address systemic challenges while creating real opportunities, especially for young people. Through YEFFA, we are focusing on youth as drivers of agricultural transformation—linking them to skills, finance, and viable jobs across agricultural value chains. In 2025 alone, we reached over 593,000 young people, with nearly 52,000 already entering formal employment, which shows that agriculture can be a credible pathway to decent work when the right systems are in place.

At the same time, initiatives such as REGAIN tackle one of the most persistent constraints in our food system—post-harvest losses. By reducing losses through better storage, handling, and market linkages, farmers are able to retain more value from what they produce, while the country strengthens its overall food security. Together, these programs reflect AGRA’s partnership-based approach: working with government, the private sector, and communities to deliver lasting systems change rather than short-term gains.