Notes on agricultural production in Tanzania

As we enter the fourth quarter of 2025, it is worth taking a snapshot of the current status of agricultural production in the country.

Being a country that has faced multiple food crises over the decades – such as the 1972–1975 famine, the 1991–1992 drought, the 2003–2006 food shortages, the 2010–2011 food insecurity that severely affected the Horn of Africa and impacted 1.2 million people in Tanzania and the 2016–2022 food shortages that led to a crippling maize export ban – the question of food availability remains a major concern that attracts national and regional attention.

As partly indicated above, the key drivers of these crises have been drought (due to erratic rainfall, since most Tanzanian agriculture is rain-fed), pests and diseases, price shocks, weak distribution systems, poverty and malnutrition.

On a positive note, the country recorded an impressive 2023/24 farming season, producing 22.8 million tonnes of food crops, up from 20.4 million tonnes in 2022/23 – an 11.8 per cent increase.

This pushed the country’s food self-sufficiency ratio to 125 percent. While total production figures for the 2024/25 season are not yet available, crop-specific data gives a good indication of the current performance.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, maize production nearly doubled to 12.26 million tonnes, up from 6.4 million tonnes in 2023/24 – a remarkable 94 per cent increase. Rice also recorded strong growth, rising to 3 million tonnes from 1.77 million tonnes the previous season, representing a 72 per cent increase.

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Other crops such as coffee, cashews, sugar, oilseeds and avocados also posted impressive gains, with cashews alone surging by as much as 150 per cent. Some crops, however, recorded more modest growth rates of around 26 per cent. Not all was positive, however. Wheat production saw a slight decline this year.

Statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) indicate that Tanzania’s wheat harvest fell by 14 per cent – down to 75,000 tonnes from 87,000 tonnes the previous year. This setback complicates the country’s ambition of increasing domestic wheat production, a grain where the country remains heavily import-dependent. Tanzania imports more than 1.0 million tonnes of wheat annually.

Public sector initiatives are underway to address this. For instance, in Makete District of Njombe Region, the government distributed 240 tins of subsidised wheat seeds to farmers, with plans to scale up distribution to 1,000 tonnes. Such measures are expected to reduce reliance on imports and help curb the nearly 400 million US dollars spent annually on wheat importation.

While the country has consistently excelled in maize production, it is important to highlight that the majority of this is white maize – accounting for 70 to 90 per cent of total output.

The remaining 10 to 30 per cent is yellow maize. White maize is both preferred by farmers and consumed domestically, primarily in staple foods such as Ugali. Yellow maize, on the other hand, is mainly used for animal feed – especially in poultry and livestock industries – due to its carotenoid content. This creates both a challenge and an opportunity.

Domestic and regional markets demand white maize, but to tap into global export markets, Tanzanian farmers may need to increase yellow maize production.

Developed economies consume far more yellow maize than white. For instance, in the US, 40 per cent of yellow maize goes into animal feed, another 40 per cent into ethanol/biofuel production, while only about 10 per cent is consumed directly by humans.

Similarly, the European Union imports yellow maize primarily for animal feed. This is the market the country should aim to capture moving forward. Looking ahead, the country’s agricultural success will depend on how well it balances food security with export opportunities.

Building resilience through irrigation, improved seed varieties, mechanisation and better storage systems will be vital in cushioning farmers against climate shocks and erratic rainfall.

At the same time, strategic diversification – particularly into yellow maize and other high-value crops – could unlock lucrative international markets and reduce overreliance on imports such as wheat. By combining domestic self-sufficiency with smart engagement in global trade, the country can position itself not only as a food-secure nation but also as a competitive agricultural powerhouse in Africa.