Turning point for livestock sector

• Samia launches free national vaccination, identification campaign

SIMIYU: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has launched a nationwide livestock vaccination and identification campaign aimed at boosting productivity in the livestock sector and enhancing its contribution to the national economy.

The four-year initiative, spanning from the 2024/2025 to 2028/2029 financial years, will cost 216bn/-. It involves the vaccination and identification of cattle, goats, sheep and poultry, to reduce livestock mortality from preventable diseases and improve yields.

Speaking at the launch event held on Monday in Bariadi District, Simiyu Region, President Samia described the campaign as a transformative step that will modernise livestock keeping and strengthen export potential.

“This nationwide campaign will be a game-changer, helping to eliminate livestock diseases and significantly increase production, while establishing a comprehensive livestock database,” she said.

The campaign includes the use of barcodes to identify animals, enabling better monitoring of livestock health and productivity. Despite Tanzania being ranked second in Africa after Ethiopia in cattle population, President Samia noted that the livestock sector’s contribution to the national GDP remains low—only 6.2 per cent.

She attributed this underperformance to a lack of proper vaccination, weak data systems and traditional livestock-keeping practices.

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The country currently has approximately 39 million cattle, 28 million goats, 9 million sheep and 108 million poultry. President Samia emphasised the need to commercialise this potential. She noted that poultry will be vaccinated free of charge, while treatment for cattle will be subsidised, with costs shared equally between the government and livestock keepers. All vaccines will be sourced from local manufacturers.

“This campaign marks the beginning of our plan to subsidise the livestock sector, just as we have supported farmers through agricultural subsidies,” she added.

The initiative also seeks to improve the entire livestock value chain, from production to processing and marketing. Dr Samia revealed that government interventions have led to an increase in meat exports from 692 tonnes in 2021/2022 to 14,701 tonnes worth over 61.4 million US dollars (about 158bn/-) in 2023/2024.

Earlier, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Ashatu Kijaji said that the ministry’s budget has surged from 66bn/- in 2021 to 406bn/- in the upcoming financial year, an increase of more than 600 per cent.

President Samia also used the occasion to stress the importance of domestic investment in boosting employment and preserving foreign currency. She urged all the people to pay taxes and support local development initiatives.

As part of her visit to the Lake Zone, the president inaugurated two factories owned by Moli Oil Mills Company: a pipe manufacturing plant and a cotton processing facility.

Both are located in Simiyu Region and represent over 98 per cent local investment, valued at more than 8bn/-.

“These factories will help us reduce dependency on imported water pipes and add value to our raw cotton, saving foreign currency and creating local jobs,” said President Samia. “We need more Tanzanians with capital to invest in the country and take ownership of economic growth, rather than relying on foreign aid and loans,” she said.

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Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Exaud Kigahe, said the two plants have created over 850 direct jobs and more than 400 indirect jobs. As part of her visit, President Samia also inaugurated Simiyu Girls Secondary School, one of 26 newly constructed science-focused schools for girls across Tanzania Mainland.

The initiative aims to expand opportunities for girls to pursue science subjects in a supportive learning environment.

“This school will enable academically gifted girls to pursue science under better conditions. We are also building a similar school for boys in the Lake Zone,” she said.

Minister of State in the President’s Office—Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, said the government has allocated 115.48bn/- for the construction of the 26 girls’ science schools. All schools are now 100 per cent complete and host 9,810 girls.

Since the programme’s implementation in early 2024, a total of 256 students have completed Form Six studies and await results to join universities.

Simiyu Girls Secondary School is equipped with an administration block, 22 classrooms, four science laboratories (for Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geography), an ICT room, nine dormitories, five staff houses and a canteen. It also includes clean cooking infrastructure.

The project began in August 2023 and is expected to be fully completed by the end of the month.