From the Ground Up: President Samia’s Vision for Sustainable Agriculture in Tanzania

By Esther Mnyika

Agriculture employs over 75% of Tanzanians and is the backbone of economic growth and employment generation in the nation.

The government, along with various stakeholders, has been making efforts to enhance agriculture in the country, ensuring it serves as a liberator for farmers from poverty and leads to a beneficial farming system for the development of farmers and the nation.

Agriculture continues to be productive and entrepreneurial, witnessing many youths venturing into farming with continued government efforts in providing education and opportunities available in the sector.

Recently, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, conducted a tour in the Tabora and Shinyanga regions, meeting various leaders including the Cotton Board, businessmen, investors, and cotton farmers. He stated that President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan is making significant efforts and is genuinely committed to uplifting the Agricultural Sector, thus it is time for the councils in the country to be part of implementing these visions to boost the economy and help eradicate poverty.

He mentioned that the District and Regional Governments have the responsibility to supervise these changes, bringing in Agricultural Extension Officers to catalyze changes in the Agricultural Sector. He urged the use of these officers appropriately and that every Ward should have a productive crop that results in future gains for the village.

“We must measure ourselves by economic outcomes, in production matters politics should not interfere. Cotton is very crucial in the economy for the broader benefits of the citizens and the nation,” said Bashe.

Cotton farmers in the country are expected to benefit from agricultural tools following the distribution of 400 tractors, 1000 motorcycles, and 2500 bicycles, along with 58 sprayers for pesticides and organic fertilizers totaling 3000 liters. These tools were distributed by Minister Bashe following his working tour in the Igunga District, Tabora Region, in September 2024.

“The government of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan aims to continue investing in farmers to produce crops efficiently. And we will continue with the plan to dig ponds to also harvest rainwater for irrigation farming,” said Minister Bashe.

He added that it is essential for these farmers to appropriately use the opportunities and resources provided in agriculture and to ignore some politicians.

“This government cannot distribute fake drugs, fake seeds, and fake buyers to farmers. Politics incite farmers and ruin people’s lives, and I will not allow that game in the sector I oversee.

We cannot have a nation that insults people, insults the Government and we remain silent. People were suffering, they were cheated, cotton failed. For two years we have given free fertilizer subsidies and we will continue to do so and we will continue to buy crops. Also, he expressed the ministry’s intention to establish a grain purchasing center in Igunga District,” he explained.

Moreover, Minister Bashe used this opportunity to discuss the Government’s plans to build sufficient dams and irrigation infrastructure in Igunga as it is statistically either the first or second, thus there must be reliable production for irrigation farming of cotton.

Minister Bashe spoke with Cotton Farmers in the Igunga District, Tabora region, stating that agriculture is science and needs efficiency and quality, which has been the mission of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan by providing free seeds, fertilizer subsidies, agricultural tools, and Extension Officers to deliver expertise to increase production.

“We have chosen Igunga as a Cotton Seed Production Hub, and it will bring more than a thousand water pumps to help farmers practice irrigation farming. The goal is for the Igunga District to produce 100,000 tons, which is one hundred million kilos,” he said.

Minister Bashe condemned politics being introduced into the concept of the Sixth Phase Government to uplift and grow the Agricultural Sector, especially to strengthen production and bring efficiency to farmers. “It’s time to set politics aside in people’s lives. Playing with the Agricultural Sector will not be allowed, there is a substantial investment for the broader benefit of the farmers,” explained Bashe.

The production of Cotton in the country is in 17 Regions; 59 Councils and 54 Districts. Additionally, 94% of all Cotton in the Tabora Region comes from the Igunga District. Also, the Igunga District has 139 villages and 31 Extension Officers, which Bashe said need to be increased to boost production that benefits farmers.

Giving a performance report, the General Director of the Cotton Board, Marco Mtunga said that this tour is crucial for the Igunga District as it produces the Cotton crop ranging from about 22,000 to 26,000 tons.

He added that the step to empower the district with better agricultural tools, training, and provided Extension Officers will be capable of producing up to 100,000 tons where each farmer averages a production of 300 kilos (which is 0.3 tons), and currently, the Cotton crop in the country is produced at 284,000 tons where the country’s goals are to have a production of 500,000 tons.

The Director of GAKI Investment Ltd., owned by Gaspar Kileo, was commended for a beneficial investment for being an investor and buyer of Cotton which three wards of Mbutu, Kishapu, and Meatu produce. While in the Shinyanga Region, Minister Bashe gave these commendations during his tour at the factory on September 12, 2024. “In collaboration with the Cotton Board, you have been a good example of employing 15 Extension Officers under the BBT Extension program to enable farmers from those three wards to benefit from education on better Cotton farming and increase yields from 200 kilos to 1000 kilos per acre,” said Minister Bashe.

He explained that this arrangement of using Extension Officers from BBT Extension has shown benefits especially following the industries that process the Cotton crop including the company GAKI being pleased with the plan in collaboration with the Cotton Board.

The arrangement of using Extension Officers for the Cotton crop involved distributing 5 Extension Officers where each village has one Agricultural Officer to provide Extension Services to farmers. Additionally, the BBT Extension program which has 230 graduates was established last season with the aim of each crop having a similar arrangement like the Cotton crop in enabling Extension Services to farmers to increase productive yields.

“The government has provided tractors with the goal of eventually having two tractors in each village to assist farmers with agricultural activities. Fertilizer and seed subsidies will continue to be available for proper use of agriculture, while Extension Services are being increased,” said Bashe.

The tour also involved various leaders from the Shinyanga Region and District including the Regional Commissioner of Shinyanga, Anamiringi Macha, and Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Minister Bashe discussing research and better production said that to be efficient in agriculture, Extension Services are important, contributed by research and production of better seeds and these services include education on modern farming including proper land use to align with the farming of respective crops and seeds.

“We have brought motorcycles and tablets for the Agricultural Officer to always be at work to help farmers prepare their fields, register their information so their needs align with the services provided by the Government,” he said.

He explained that the Government has decided to invest in development projects including services for farmers, thus he has asked the leaders of the Regions and Districts to continue providing cooperation in achieving that goal. Also, Agricultural Officers should live in the villages and areas they provide services to be easily reachable.

Minister Bashe while on a working tour in the Shinyanga Region visited the Nyida irrigation project where three dams are being built at a cost of more than Shilling Billion 55. He was also satisfied with the progress of the construction which is expected to be completed in March 2025.

“I direct the Director of the National Irrigation Commission, Raymond Mndolwa, to ensure that the project includes the construction of a granary to store rice harvests, install a rice milling machine and a house for the agricultural officer which has already been built. I direct a 7.5-kilometer road from the main road to the project site to be built to facilitate transportation services for crops and the granary that will be built,” he emphasized.

Minister Bashe visited the Nyida Irrigation Project in the Shinyanga Region of the National Irrigation Commission and directed that within the project a large granary be built to store rice.

Also, the construction of a joint rice purchasing station and a rice processing machine and construction of a 7.5-kilometer road that will connect to the main asphalt road and build animal watering facilities.

He also directed that the small Nyida project of more than 400 hectares be announced soon and emphasized that the Nyida scheme of 400 hectares be announced to get a contractor and start construction so that the citizens benefit.

“This project has been a long-time dream I came in 2020 and today I thank God we have come here to see the progress I thank Honorable President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan for agreeing to provide funds…this project will have three dams and the construction of another scheme of Lyamalagwa of 1500 hectares with a main canal of 12 kilometers and internal canals of more than 50 kilometers,” said Bashe.

He acknowledged that financial resources are few but President Dr. Samia has decided to allocate funds for the construction of these projects that will serve two councils which are Nzega Dc and Shinyanga rural.

He emphasized that the dam with a storage capacity of 7 million cubic meters and a system to release water when it overflows will help avoid water overflow and damage road infrastructure.

“This dam will use two systems to serve farmers during the dry season it will use dam water and during the rainy season it will use rainwater, a step that will enable farmers to farm twice a year,” explained Minister Bashe.

He said the construction of these projects that started with Nyida alone where the Government is using taxpayer money of more than Shilling Billion 55 equivalent to 100 health centers, where if it were built asphalt roads it would be more than 50 kilometers the construction should be done to the expected level.

He said President Dr. Samia has decided to improve the agricultural sector, provide fertilizer subsidies, seeds, irrigation subsidies, and others with the goal of uplifting farmers economically.

“Farmers pay service fees for irrigation so that when there is a need for repairs in the projects the irrigation fund can do its work,” he said.

On his part, the General Director of NIRC Raymond Mndolwa, said the Commission continues with the plan to build dams, renovate old schemes, and identify new areas for agriculture.

“The Shinyanga Region has a total of 14 schemes, many schemes were built a long time ago thus being dilapidated and others not being completed including Ishololo, Mwamashele, and Kahanga,” said Mndolwa.

He said the construction of the Nyida dam started in 2023 and is expected to be completed in April next year where so far it has reached 68%, including the construction of the Katunguru Sengerema Mwanza and Kasoli Bariadi Simiyu all three at a cost of more than Shilling Billion 29.

For the fiscal year 2024/2025, the Government through the Commission has planned to do feasibility studies and designs of seven dams those basins are Lunguya, Mwamkanga, Amani, Ngaganulwa, Nimbo, Bulungwa, and Kisuke.

Minister Bashe continued his tour in the Simiyu Region in September 2024 where in the morning he visited the Kasoli irrigation project with a dam storage of 2.7 million cubic meters located in Kasoli, in the Shinyanga Council. The Kasoli irrigation project is part of the Nyida project, which is worth Shilling billion 8, construction has reached 60% and will be completed in April 2025.

Additionally, 634 hectares of the project are estimated to serve farmers after the dam is completed. Minister Bashe directed the National Irrigation Commission to also build a road leading to the dam and build a granary and purchase a rice milling machine to facilitate the needs of the farmers.

He explained that there will be the construction of three dams (two in the Kisesa constituency) and one in the Mwagila Village.

He also directed in the 40 tractors he distributed in two centers of Mwanhuzi and Mwandoya, farmers pay a cost of Shilling 35,000 to farm their fields, different from the costs they have been charged from Shilling 50,000 to 60,000 to farm before being provided with tractors.

END.