JICA’s support in Agriculture Development

Happy Nanenane Day to all hard-working farmers of Tanzania

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) recognizes farmers dedication and the vital role they play in feeding the nation and building a more sustainable future. We are proud to partner with both the farmers and the government to support agricultural development, promote Co-creation innovative solutions to empower farmers.

This year’s theme of Nanenane “Elect the best leaders for sustainable development of agriculture, livestock and fisheries resonates deeply with our collective aspirations for food-secure and prosperous Tanzania.

9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD9, will be held in this August in Japan. One of the themes of TICAD 9 is “Tomoni Africa” or “Pamoja Africa”. In line with this, JICA is committed to further strengthening our activities in Tanzania’s agricultural sector, enhancing productivity, improving livelihood, and focusing on human resource development based on the spirit of partnership and shared growth.

Agriculture is an important sector for the realization of Tanzania Vision 2050 and Tanzania’s future growth; however, its development faces various challenges such as climate change and food security, therefore through leveraging JICA’s long-standing cooperation assets, we will further promote co-creation with the Tanzanian Government, private sectors, Development Partners, farmers, and other stakeholders to foster agricultural development. “Together, let us build strong partnerships that will shape the future of agriculture and ensure prosperity for generations to come.”

Since 1970, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been promoting the improvement of productivity, commercialization and industrialization of the agriculture sector to align it with the priorities of the country, thus contributing to the growth of the whole economy and social development of Tanzania. JICA has provided nationwide support in both soft and hard schemes of assistance including fishery and livestock sector through the following two major programmes;

1. Programme of promoting commercialization / industrialization of agriculture

Project for empowerment and promotion of agriculture through Use of SHEP Approach (TANSHEP2): April 2025-October 2029

JICA’s SHEP Approach promotes the farmers to conduct market survey before starting cultivation to decide which crops to produce, so that the farmers can effectively increase their income.

With the concept of “Anzia Sokoni, Malizia Shambani, Kwa Kipato Zaidi”, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the President’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), in collaboration with JICA, have started the 2nd phase of the project, aiming to disseminate the SHEP approach nationwide.

Agricultural Mechanization Advisor: May 2024-May 2027

JICA has dispatched experts to support the promotion of agriculture mechanization while strengthening the functions and sustainability of AFICAT*. The project is expected to contribute to the improvement of agricultural productivity in Tanzania.

*AFICAT (Africa Field InnovatioCentre for Agricultural Technology) is an Initiative for promoting advanced technology and agricultural mechanization in Sub Saharan Africa through public-private partnership.

Agricultural and Rural Development Two Step Loan Project (TSL): May 2025- May 2030

JICA is collaborating with Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) for the provision of medium and long-term sub-loans to a group of farmers and other beneficiaries. The project is expected to contribute to the improvement of agricultural productivity through access to affordable capital. (Target crops: rice, maize, wheat, sunflower and horticulture crops for women & youth).

Public-Private Partnership: JICA also aims to support Tanzania’s economic and social development by utilizing experience and knowledge of Japanese private companies, currently having partnership with agriculture-related companies such as Yamamoto Co., Ltd., and Kikkoman Corp.

2. Programme of Strengthening Rice Production

The Project for Strengthening Capacities of Stakeholders of Rice Industry Development (TANRICE3): June 2023-June 2028

In the 1970s, JICA has established the Kilimanjaro Agricultural Training Centre (KATC) to strengthen the function system of training methods suitable for farmers’ fields. Then, through technical cooperation projects, TANRICE1 and TANRICE2, JICA has provided technical training on rice cultivation nationwide mainly in the irrigated areas, which increased the productivity of farmers from 3.2 t/ha to 4.5 t/ha.

In the ongoing TANRICE3, JICA is working to improve productivity in rainfed rice production areas, in addition to training in irrigated rice cultivation technology. It is expected that the number of farmers adopting the rice production techniques recommended by this project will increase, which would lead to more rice production in Tanzania.

Irrigation Development Advisor: Sept 2023-Sept 2025

Since 2010, JICA has been supporting the NIRC to develop comprehensive guidelines for irrigation scheme (CGLs), formulate master plan, develop infrastructure and train the irrigation officers.Currently, an Advisor is dispatched to NIRC to further enhance the capacities of irrigation officers (mainly newly employed officers).

Tanzania Agricultural Inputs Support Project (TAISP): April 2023-June 2028 (Co-finance with AfDB)

TAISP is a 70 million USD concessional loan project which would sustain the availability of agricultural inputs mainly on quality seeds and fertilizer, aiming to improve productivity and profitability of priority crops (wheat, sunflower, and rice). The estimated total number of direct beneficiaries are 1,200,000 households, equivalent to 4,800,000 persons, in which 40 percent are women and youths.

Others

The Project for Co-designing Neglected Zoonosis Intervention through One-Health, Education, and Public-Private Partnership: July 2024-June 2029

A new project which aims to address the challenges posed by neglected zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis and zoonotic tuberculosis which are prevalent in Tanzania’s livestock sector.

The project has been implemented through collaboration of the Japanese universities and Tanzanian universities, aiming to establish a brucellosis and zoonotic tuberculosis control approach in Morogoro Region.