Tanzania agribusiness at turning point through strategic interventions

Dodoma. A series of strategic interventions aimed at developing skills, reducing post-harvest losses, promoting value addition, improving access to inclusive financing, and engaging the private sector are revolutionizing the agribusiness landscape for young farmers in Tanzania.

The project to that goal is being implemented through a partnership between the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Mastercard Foundation, which are working together to foster youth employment in agriculture in Tanzania, with a special emphasis on young women.

Speaking with The Citizen at the recently concluded international Agricultural Exhibition, also known as Nanenane, in Dodoma, the WFP Programme Associate, Willbroad Karugaba, said that the project, called ‘Vijana Kilimo Biashara’ or Youth in Agribusiness, is being implemented in five regions.

The regions are Arusha, Dodoma, Manyara, Shinyanga, Simiyu, singida and Tabora.

Which deals with three agricultural products, sorghum, sunflowers and horticulture.

Karugaba said that the project aims to reach over 200,000 people, of which 70 percent are youth.

The key products in the identified value chains are sorghum, sunflowers, and horticulture.

“WFP and Mastercard Foundation's partnership is working to improve youth employment in rural areas of Tanzania by promoting youth entrepreneurship in agriculture, with a focus on young women.

This initiative aims to make self-employment in agriculture more profitable and productive, offering young people a future in areas like support and inputs services, wholesale and retail distribution, and value addition,” said Karugaba.

He also mentioned five key strategies including developing skills and knowledge with a focus on sustainability and climate-smart agriculture; reducing post-harvest losses by raising awareness, conducting demonstrations, and improving access to infrastructure and mechanization.

“We also aim to formalize trade, improve policies, and promote a business-friendly environment,” said Karugaba.

The training initiatives have not only improved farm productivity but also instilled a sense of confidence and entrepreneurship among the youth, enabling them to view farming as a viable and profitable career.

"Before joining the programme, I was struggling with low yields and poor market access," says Adrian Kasim (24), who cultivates horticulture and is a Form Four leaver.

Kasim, who started cultivating horticulture in 2022 using the money he earned from farming, has been able to buy a plot of land to build his house.

He said there are seven young people in their farming group, and more others are interested in joining them.

The seeds they use are obtained from the World Food Programme (WFP).

Elizabeth Lenjima from Kongwa District in the Dodoma region said through training from WFP, she has learned how to optimize her farm’s output, manage finances, and connect with buyers.

She mentioned that she is the leading farmer in the village of Ugogoni, which is part of the Ugogoni Ward, encompassing seven villages, and the farmers she leads are more than 3,000.

She explained that in millet farming, they harvest between 15 to 20 sacks per one acre, and they have been taught to reduce post-harvest losses, connect with markets, and manage their income.

"Being a leading farmer has enabled me to be elected as a councilor of Ugogoni ward, and I hope to be re-elected given how I help my colleagues in agriculture.

Agriculture has helped me educate my children, and I have been able to build a house in the village where I live," she said.

Boaz Sebai from Nghumbi village in Kongwa District is a farmer who has been producing millet seeds for over seven years in his village.

Sebai said that he received seed production training from WFP and noted that the seeds he produces take a short time to grow, are resistant to diseases, and yield abundantly, making them a savior for farmers.

He has been producing seeds for more than seven years and has benefited by providing food for his family, educating his children, building a house, and sustaining his livelihood.