Tanzania unleashes agriculture drive to feed Africa

DAR ES SALAAM: A SWEEPING push to expand irrigation, subsidise farm inputs, attract young people into agribusiness and strengthen food storage systems is set to redefine Tanzania’s agricultural landscape as the country pursues its Vision 2050 development agenda.

Under Vision 2050, Tanzania aims to move beyond subsistence farming and build a competitive agricultural economy driven by commercial production, agro-processing and exports.

The government believes the sector will be a key engine of employment, industrial growth and food security for generations to come. The emphasis on agriculture reflects a broader national ambition outlined in Vision 2050, which identifies the sector as one of Tanzania’s transformative industries expected to drive economic restructuring, job creation and export growth over the next quarter century.

Under the vision, Tanzania aims to become an industrialised, knowledge-based upper-middle-income economy with a one-trillion-dollar economy and a per capita income of 7,000 US dollars by 2050. Agriculture is expected to play a pivotal role in achieving that goal by supplying raw materials to industry, strengthening food security and supporting value-added exports.

Vision 2050 also sets an ambitious target of positioning Tanzania as a leading food basket in Africa and among the top food-producing nations globally, reflecting the strategic importance attached to agricultural transformation.

Presenting the Ministry of Agriculture’s 2026/27 budget estimates in the National Assembly, Agriculture Minister Daniel Chongolo said the sector would remain a cornerstone of Tanzania’s long-term development agenda under Vision 2050.

“We must build a sustainable, resilient and competitive agricultural sector capable of driving inclusive economic growth, improving farmers’ livelihoods and creating a prosperous nation,” Mr Chongolo told lawmakers.

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The government has set bold targets to accelerate the sector’s transformation. Under the ministry’s strategy, Tanzania aims to increase agricultural growth to 10 per cent, create three million jobs for young people and women by 2030, reduce post-harvest losses from 35 per cent to 5 per cent and boost agricultural export earnings from 1.2 billion US dollars to 5 billion US dollars.

Officials say the goals are closely aligned with Vision 2050 and are designed to position Tanzania as a leading regional food basket and agro-industrial hub. Backing the ambition is a significant increase in public investment. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, funding for the sector has more than quadrupled over the past four years, rising from 294bn/- in the 2021/22 financial year to 1.19tri/- in 2025/26.

The increased investment reflects the government’s growing recognition of agriculture as a strategic driver of economic growth, employment creation, industrialisation and food security.

With expanded funding, authorities are scaling up irrigation schemes, subsidising farm inputs, strengthening extension services and investing in storage and value-addition infrastructure to unlock the sector’s full potential.

“This is clear evidence that agriculture is no longer a secondary agenda but a national priority for economic growth, job creation and national prosperity,” Chongolo said.

The ministry says the increased investment is already delivering tangible results, with agricultural production recording strong gains over the past three years. Food crop output increased from 17.1 million tonnes in 2021/22 to 23.78 million tonnes in 2024/25, representing growth of nearly 39 per cent.

The surge in production has strengthened the country’s food security, with Tanzania’s food selfsufficiency ratio reaching 130 per cent. Officials say this translated into a surplus of more than 5.5 million tonnes above national requirements, reinforcing the country’s status as one of the region’s leading food producers.

Cereal production climbed to 14.92 million tonnes during the 2024/25 farming season, while noncereal crop output reached 8.85 million tonnes, underscoring the sector’s growing productivity. Officials attributed the gains to a combination of expanded fertiliser subsidies, wider distribution of improved seeds, increased investment in irrigation infrastructure and strengthened agricultural extension services.

The momentum has also extended to cash crops, a key source of export earnings and rural incomes. Production of major cash crops, including cashew nuts, cotton, coffee, tobacco, tea and sugar, rose from 973,436 tonnes in 2021/22 to nearly 1.6 million tonnes in 2024/25, reflecting strong growth across several value chains.

Cashew nuts remained among the standout performers, with output reaching 617,683 tonnes, while sugar production surpassed 410,000 tonnes, helping to strengthen domestic supply and reduce reliance on imports.

The growth in both food and cash crops highlights the government’s push to modernise agriculture, raise productivity and position the sector as a major contributor to exports, industrial development and economic transformation under Vision 2050.

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Horticulture has emerged as one of the brightest spots in Tanzania’s agricultural transformation, driven by rising domestic demand and expanding export opportunities. Production of fruits, vegetables and spices rose to 9.78 million tonnes in the 2024/25 season, surpassing the government’s annual target of 9 million tonnes and highlighting the growing importance of the sub-sector to the national economy.

Oilseed production also recorded strong performance, reaching 2.24 million tonnes and exceeding the ministry’s target of 2.2 million tonnes. Officials say boosting domestic edible oil production remains a strategic priority, aimed at reducing import dependence, improving food security and strengthening agro-industrial value chains.

Further progress has been recorded in fertiliser manufacturing, with Tanzania expanding local production capacity as part of broader efforts to lower input costs, improve availability and support higher agricultural productivity.

Domestic fertiliser output increased nearly fourfold, rising from 32,239 tonnes in 2020/21 to 123,203 tonnes in 2025/26, while national fertiliser availability surpassed one million tonnes. Meanwhile, production of improved seeds grew by more than 81 per cent, expanding farmers’ access to certified, high-yielding varieties across the country.

Research, innovation and climate resilience are increasingly central to the government’s long-term agricultural strategy as Tanzania seeks to build a sector capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change while sustaining higher productivity.

Through the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), authorities are advancing research on 56 strategic crop seed varieties, alongside soil health technologies and climate-smart farming systems designed to improve yields and strengthen resilience.

By March 2026, research had been completed on 30 seed varieties, including new cassava breeds capable of yielding between 20 and 28.8 tonnes per hectare. The ministry has also approved 14 new banana varieties with yields ranging from 50 to 60 tonnes per hectare. The focus on research aligns closely with Vision 2050’s emphasis on science, technology and innovation as key drivers of national development.

The long-term blueprint calls for increased investment in research and development, stronger collaboration between research institutions and industry and wider adoption of modern technologies capable of raising productivity across strategic sectors, including agriculture.

Research into indigenous seed varieties is also being intensified as the government seeks to develop crops that are more resilient to drought, pests and diseases associated with climate change. Irrigation development remains one of the cornerstones of Tanzania’s agricultural transformation agenda.

According to the ministry, 780 irrigation projects are currently being implemented across the country to reduce dependence on rainfall and ensure year-round production. So far, construction and rehabilitation of 28 projects covering 23,528 hectares have been completed, while a further 118 projects spanning more than 232,000 hectares are at various stages of implementation.

Officials say expanding irrigation infrastructure will be critical to sustaining agricultural growth as climate variability makes rainfall increasingly unpredictable. The government is also leveraging agriculture as a key driver of youth employment and entrepreneurship.

Through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme, young people are being supported with access to land, irrigation infrastructure, financing, technology and markets to enable them to participate in commercial farming.

“The programme recognises young people as the engine of transformation by providing them with technology, land, capital and market access,” Chongolo said.

Authorities say the initiative is designed to nurture a new generation of agripreneurs while helping tackle youth unemployment and boosting productivity across agricultural value chains. Equally, the government has significantly expanded food storage infrastructure to strengthen food security and reduce post-harvest losses.

The National Food Reserve Agency’s storage capacity increased from 251,000 tonnes in 2020/21 to 776,000 tonnes in 2025/26, with plans to expand capacity further to three million tonnes by 2030. Officials say enhanced storage systems are essential for preserving harvests, stabilising food supplies and supporting the country’s longterm food security objectives.

Agricultural exports have also maintained a strong upward trajectory. The value of agricultural exports rose from 2.1 billion US dollars in 2021/22 to 3.73 billion US dollars in 2024/25, reflecting increased production, improved market access and growing competitiveness in international markets.

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The ministry attributes part of the growth to Tanzania’s expanding economic diplomacy efforts, which have opened new export opportunities across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Meanwhile, reforms aimed at strengthening cooperative societies are gathering momentum.

The number of cooperatives registered through the government’s digital MUVU system increased from 4,661 in 2022/23 to 6,545 in 2025/26, while agricultural sales channelled through cooperative societies more than doubled from 1.69tri/ to 3.74tri/- over the same period.

Digital technology is expected to play an increasingly important role in the sector’s future development. The ministry is expanding farmer registration systems, digital extension services and market information platforms to improve productivity, efficiency and access to markets.

It is also finalising the establishment of the National Agricultural Extension Services Agency (NAESA), which is expected to strengthen extension service delivery nationwide.

Digital transformation is one of the key pillars of Vision 2050 and is expected to reshape agriculture through data-driven decision-making, improved market connectivity and greater access to modern farming technologies.

Officials say digital platforms will increasingly connect farmers to extension services, financing, weather information and domestic and international markets, helping improve productivity and competitiveness across the agricultural value chain.

For the 2026/27 financial year, the government plans to sustain investment in irrigation, fertiliser subsidies, improved seed production, mechanisation, youth-focused farming initiatives, food storage facilities and digital agriculture systems in line with Vision 2050 priorities.

The agricultural reforms form part of a broader national strategy to transform Tanzania into a prosperous, inclusive and self-reliant nation by 2050.

Vision 2050 envisages a future in which agriculture evolves from a largely subsistence-based activity into a modern, climate-resilient and commercially competitive sector powered by innovation, technology and value addition. The strategy places particular emphasis on youth participation, research, digital transformation and stronger links between agriculture and industry.

For policymakers, the stakes extend far beyond farm production. The sector is expected to support industrialisation, create millions of decent jobs, strengthen food security, expand exports and contribute to the long-term goal of building a one trillion-dollar economy.

As Tanzania pursues its Vision 2050 ambitions, officials view agriculture not merely as a source of livelihoods, but as one of the principal engines that will power the country’s economic transformation over the next 25 years.