Tanga. Young people in Tanga are making significant strides in economic development through dairy farming, thanks to support from the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) in partnership with Solidaridad.
To address the challenge of youth unemployment, TADB and Solidaridad East Africa have launched a unique initiative known as the Youth Farm Settlement (YFS), under the Dairy 2025 Catalyst for Investment program.
The project, being implemented in Tanga Region, targets young people under the age of 35, equipping them with the skills and resources to venture into commercial dairy farming.
The focus is not merely on subsistence farming but on building sustainable agribusinesses that generate income and create jobs for others.
In the first phase, five youths, including Aron John and Dorice Muselem, have each been allocated a 10-acre farm.
Each farm has been developed with essential infrastructure, including a modern house for the beneficiary, a state-of-the-art cowshed capable of holding 10 dairy cows and their calves, a poultry unit for 200 chickens, one acre of pasture land, reliable water facilities (including a well for livestock and irrigation), and five in-calf heifers of improved breeds.
The aim is for each beneficiary to produce at least 40 liters of milk per day.
Speaking about the project’s impact, Senior Business Development Officer for TADB in the Northern Zone, Imani Nkatula, said the initiative is expected to create employment opportunities for other young people in rural areas while boosting milk supply in local markets.
He noted that the program is designed to inspire youth to view agriculture and livestock farming as viable business ventures and a pathway to economic prosperity.
Through this partnership, TADB and Solidaridad are laying the foundation for a new generation of farmers and livestock keepers, reshaping the perception of agriculture among youth—from being seen as “a last resort” to being recognized as a profitable business and a driver of economic growth.
