Dodoma. Vice-President, Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi has urged farmers, livestock keepers and fishers across the country to join Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (Amcos) to benefit from the services they offer and contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector and the national economy.
Dr Nchimbi made the call on Monday, August 3, 2026, during Cooperative Day celebrations held at the Central Zone Nanenane agricultural exhibitions in Dodoma.
He said cooperatives play a major role in advancing the National Development Vision 2050 by enabling small-scale producers to pool resources, increase productivity, access reliable markets and obtain financial services more easily.
“I encourage farmers, livestock keepers and fishers to join cooperative societies so that they can benefit from the available opportunities and build their economies as well as the national economy,” said Dr Nchimbi.
He said the government would continue strengthening the cooperative sector by ensuring that societies are managed transparently and accountably.
The Vice-President directed the Cooperative Development Commission to take action against leaders and members involved in dishonest practices and the misuse of cooperative assets.
He also directed the Ministry of Agriculture to continue overseeing the Cooperative Bank to ensure that it becomes stronger and provides financial solutions for farmers, livestock keepers and fishers.
Dr Nchimbi said the government had introduced the Cooperative Insurance scheme to protect farmers against losses caused by drought, hailstorms and other disasters, enabling them to continue production after such events.
He further directed the Ministry of Agriculture to continue educating the public about the benefits of joining cooperative societies to increase participation in the cooperative movement.
For his part, the Tanzania Cooperatives Development Commission chief executive officer, Dr Benson Ndiege, said tobacco farmers in Tabora Region had started benefiting from the crop insurance scheme, which protects them against losses caused by natural disasters.
He said 32,273 tobacco farmers had joined the Cooperative Insurance scheme, with farms covering 377,780 hectares insured so far.
Dr Ndiege said a lack of integrity among some cooperative leaders and members remained a major challenge, resulting in the unlawful appropriation of cooperative assets.
He said the Commission had launched an exercise to assess cooperative assets to ensure they are identified, protected and recovered where they have been lost.
Agriculture Minister Daniel Chongolo said the government would continue overseeing and developing the cooperative sector because it remains an important pillar of development for farmers, livestock keepers and fishers.
Mr Chongolo said membership of cooperative societies gives farmers, livestock keepers and fishers greater collective bargaining power when negotiating prices for their crops and products.
He added that cooperatives enable members to access agricultural inputs and loans more easily, secure reliable markets, obtain insurance services and receive professional training.
“Cooperatives also promote transparency in trade, strengthen members’ incomes and stimulate national economic development through increased production,” he said.
