Tanzania unveils ambitious five-year blueprint to rank among Africa’s leading food producers

“In the next five years, we are going to make major investments in the production sectors, starting with agriculture,” she told lawmakers.

She highlighted a new guiding philosophy that places farming at the forefront of national economic transformation. “We will be guided by the principle that ‘Agriculture is Business, and the Farmer is an Investor’.”

President Hassan set an ambitious target to accelerate agricultural growth from the current 4 percent to 10 percent by 2030.

According to her, this shift will not only safeguard food security but also uplift millions of Tanzanians who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.

“By doing so, we aim not only to ensure food self-sufficiency but also to invest in value chains to benefit the many citizens employed in this sector,” she said.

Tanzania aims to position itself among Africa’s leading producers of maize, rice, and horticultural crops. To achieve this, the government will intensify efforts to promote modern farming by expanding access to subsidised inputs such as improved seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides.

Water availability will also be boosted, with irrigated land set to rise from 3.4 million acres to 5 million acres through the completion of ongoing dams and irrigation schemes, alongside new projects including those in the Rufiji Basin.

The President further announced the establishment of farm machinery hiring centres to accelerate the adoption of technology.

Investment in the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) and the Cooperative Bank will also be enhanced “to stimulate the agricultural revolution we envision.”

The government will continue strengthening post-harvest management through the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) in order to curb losses that diminish farmers’ earnings. The warehouse receipt system, which already supports several crop value chains, will be expanded.

To guarantee stable international markets, the government plans to leverage economic diplomacy. “We will ensure that these market opportunities come with implementable agreements,” she said, citing pigeon peas, green grams, and sesame as priority crops for assured export demand.

Although Tanzania currently enjoys 128 percent food self-sufficiency, the President emphasised the need to increase domestic production of sugar and edible oil. Greater focus will be placed on processing sunflower, palm, and sesame to reduce reliance on imports.

Reviving traditional cash crops

Several cash crops that once underpinned the national economy—tea, coffee, avocado, and cotton—have struggled due to global price volatility and inefficiencies in processing.

The President pledged more stringent supervision to revive these sub-sectors, with the goal of “expanding markets, increasing price competitiveness, and ensuring better returns for our farmers.”

The livestock sector, long constrained by land disputes and limited commercial investment, is also poised for transformation by 2030.

The President announced plans to expand designated livestock areas from 3.46 million acres to six million acres.

“This measure will prevent conflicts between pastoralists and other land users, and increase the production of animal feeds as we move towards modern livestock keeping,” she said.

To unlock international markets, the government will intensify livestock identification and vaccination programmes to meet global quality standards. “We want to improve the quality of livestock products so that Tanzania is recognised in global records and markets.”

President Hassan’s blueprint signals a new era for Tanzania’s production landscape—one that places farmers, pastoralists, and fishers at the heart of national prosperity.

With strategic investment, wider market access, and modern technologies, the government aims to position the agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors as engines of economic growth for the decade ahead.