Mombo. Since 1967, the Mombo Irrigation Scheme has been the backbone of rice farming in Tanzania, bringing together 207 farmers (131 women and 76 men) who cultivate 625 acres of paddy fields.
Each season, they produce more than 80,000 bags of rice, which after milling amounts to 5,200 tonnes, valued at approximately Sh7.8 billion annually. This represents rice harvested daily throughout the season.
To scale up production, the farmers secured affordable financing from the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB). The funds facilitated the purchase of modern machinery, including a rice harvester, milling equipment, a tractor, and essential farm inputs.
These tools have significantly reduced harvest losses, lowered costs, and increased farmers’ earnings per acre.
The transformation has been life-changing. Many farmers have built homes, employed workers, educated their children, and improved their livelihoods.
“ The Mombo project has created more than 200 jobs for youth and women, provided stable incomes for families, and strengthened food security for thousands of households,” said Deputy Project Chairperson Mr Charles Kweka
Board member Ms Rehema Athuman encouraged women across the country to seize opportunities in agriculture.
“ Farming is the backbone of our nation and a pathway for women to achieve financial independence,” she noted
The Mombo Irrigation Scheme now stands as proof that investing in agriculture is an investment in people—securing food, empowering communities, and shaping Tanzania’s future
