The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has presented an ambitious budget for the fiscal year 2026/2027, signalling the government’s commitment to transforming these critical sectors into major drivers of Tanzania’s economic growth. Minister Balozi Dkt. Bashiru Ally Kakurwa (MP) delivered the budget speech to Parliament, outlining comprehensive strategies to enhance production, improve market access, and strengthen the sectors’ contribution to national development.

Budget Allocation and Financial Framework

The Ministry’s budget for 2026/2027 has been formulated in alignment with Tanzania’s Vision 2050, the Fourth Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP IV) covering 2026/2027 – 2030/2031, and the Agricultural Master Plan (2050). The budget also incorporates the ruling party’s 2025 election manifesto and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030).

During the 2025/2026 fiscal year, the Ministry was allocated TSh 101,516,670,000 for recurrent expenditures, comprising TSh 47,264,785,000 for salaries and TSh 54,251,885,000 for other operational costs. For development projects, the Ministry received TSh 375,138,402,000, of which TSh 227,994,375,000 came from domestic sources and TSh 147,144,027,000 from external funding.

By April 2026, the Ministry had utilised TSh 120,365,341,839.19, representing significant progress in budget execution. This comprised TSh 95,299,384,538.08 (41.80%) of domestic funds and TSh 25,065,957,301.11 from external sources.

Sectoral Performance: A Foundation for Growth

The livestock sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, contributing 6.2% to the national GDP with a growth rate of 5.0% in 2024. This performance underscores the sector’s critical role in Tanzania’s economy, with over 6.5 million households engaged in livestock rearing activities across the country.

The total value of livestock increased from TSh 33,216,845,677,000 in 2024/2025 to TSh 34,328,243,052,500 by April 2026, reflecting growth across all major livestock categories. This increase has been driven by both population growth in livestock numbers and improved productivity per animal.

The fisheries sector has equally shown impressive development, with increased production in both marine and freshwater resources. The sector’s contribution to food security, employment generation, and foreign exchange earnings continues to expand, particularly through the Blue Economy initiatives.

Strategic Priorities for 2026/2027

The Ministry has identified four key priority areas that will guide budget implementation:

1. Increasing Production, Markets, and Value of Livestock and Fisheries Products

This priority focuses on improving livestock breeds and aquatic organisms, including breeding bulls, heifers, and fish fingerlings. The Ministry will strengthen the availability of pasture, fodder seeds, animal feeds, and fish feeds whilst ensuring environmental conservation and climate change adaptation. Enhanced animal health services and laboratory systems for livestock identification will be prioritised.

2. Strengthening Infrastructure and Marketing Systems

Investments will target modern livestock markets, slaughterhouses, dairy processing facilities, and fishing ports. The Ministry plans to develop fishing landing sites, aquaculture breeding centres, and improve livestock movement and traceability systems. Digital transformation of marketing systems will receive particular attention to enhance efficiency and transparency.

3. Improving Institutional Capacity and Governance

The budget allocates resources for capacity building of ministry staff, livestock and fisheries associations, and beach management units. Strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving service delivery systems, and enhancing stakeholder engagement mechanisms are central to this priority area.

4. Enhancing Research, Innovation, and Technology Transfer

The Ministry will invest in livestock and fisheries research, promote technology adoption, and facilitate knowledge transfer to farmers and fishers. This includes support for breeding programmes, disease surveillance systems, and sustainable resource management practices.

Revenue Performance and Projections

The Ministry’s revenue generation capacity has shown steady improvement. In 2025/2026, the livestock sector targeted TSh 49,900,001,000 in revenue collection, whilst the fisheries sector aimed for TSh 44,205,000,000. By April 2026, total revenue collection from both sectors reached TSh 66,924,418,062, representing 85.3% of the projected target of TSh 78,420,833,334.

Revenue sources include livestock movement permits, veterinary charges, market fees, export licenses, fishing licenses, export royalties, and import royalties. The strong performance in revenue collection demonstrates growing formalisation of the sectors and improved compliance with regulatory requirements.

Policy Alignment and Framework

The 2026/2027 budget has been developed within the framework of several key policy documents:

– Agricultural Sector Development Programme Phase II (ASDP II)

– Livestock Sector Transformation Plan (LSTP) for 2022/2023 to 2026/2027

– Master Plan for Fisheries Development 2022/2023-2036/2037

– Agriculture and Fisheries Development Programme 2021/2022 – 2026/2027

– National Livestock Policy 2006

– National Fisheries Policy 2015

– National Blue Economy Policy 2024

These policies provide a coherent framework for addressing cross-cutting issues including gender equality, environmental sustainability, food security and nutrition, climate change adaptation, HIV/AIDS prevention, and child labour elimination.

Presidential Support and Political Commitment

President Dkt. Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election in 2025 has provided political continuity and renewed commitment to livestock and fisheries development. The President has demonstrated strong support for the sectors through various initiatives, including provision of TSh 23,685,829,751 for youth entrepreneurship in livestock and fisheries value chains, benefiting 308 young people.

The appointment of Balozi Dkt. Emmanuel John Nchimbi as Vice President and Dkt. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba as Prime Minister signals the government’s focus on economic transformation, with agriculture, livestock, and fisheries featuring prominently in the new administration’s agenda.

Development Partner Engagement

The Ministry continues to benefit from strong partnerships with development organisations, financial institutions, and non-governmental organisations. External funding of TSh 147,144,027,000 in 2025/2026 has supported major infrastructure projects, capacity building programmes, and technology transfer initiatives.

Key development partners have supported initiatives in disease surveillance, market infrastructure development, Blue Economy programmes, and climate-smart livestock and fisheries production systems. These partnerships have been instrumental in leveraging domestic resources and accelerating sectoral transformation.

Implementation Mechanisms

To ensure effective budget execution, the Ministry has established robust implementation structures:

– Institutional Framework: The Ministry operates through the Department of Livestock Development and the Department of Fisheries Development, supported by specialised agencies including the Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency (TVLA) and the National Ranching Company (NARCO).

– Monitoring and Evaluation: Regular progress reviews are conducted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industries, Trade, Agriculture, and Livestock, which provides oversight and recommendations for improved performance.

– Stakeholder Participation: The Ministry engages farmers’ associations, fishers’ organisations, private sector actors, and local government authorities in planning and implementation processes.

– Digital Transformation: Investment in digital systems for livestock identification, market information, disease surveillance, and revenue collection will enhance transparency and efficiency.

Employment and Livelihoods Impact

The livestock and fisheries sectors are major sources of employment, particularly in rural areas where alternative livelihood options are limited. The 2026/2027 budget emphasises job creation through:

– Support for small-scale livestock farmers and fishers

– Youth entrepreneurship programmes in value addition and marketing

– Training initiatives in modern production techniques

– Development of processing industries that create off-farm employment

Over 7,459 individuals received short-term training in various fisheries skills during 2025/2026, covering commercial fish farming, marine shrimp cultivation, crab fattening, seaweed farming, value addition, entrepreneurship, and marketing. Such programmes will be expanded in the coming fiscal year.

Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability

Recognising the vulnerability of livestock and fisheries sectors to climate change, the budget incorporates adaptation and mitigation measures:

– Development of drought-resistant pasture varieties

– Water harvesting and storage infrastructure for livestock

– Sustainable fishing practices to prevent overfishing

– Mangrove restoration and coastal ecosystem protection

– Climate-smart livestock production systems

These interventions align with Tanzania’s commitments under international climate agreements and contribute to building resilient agricultural systems.

Food Security and Nutrition

The Ministry’s budget prioritises food security through increased production of animal-source foods, which are critical for addressing malnutrition, particularly amongst children and pregnant women. Meat production increased by 4.4% from 1,054,114.03 tonnes valued at TSh 10,378,706,595,000 in 2024/2025 to 1,100,489.85 tonnes worth TSh 10,835,318,512,861.04 by April 2026.

Fish production contributes significantly to protein intake, particularly in coastal and lake regions. The budget supports aquaculture expansion to complement capture fisheries and ensure sustainable supply of fish products to growing urban markets.

Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges

The 2026/2027 budget presents significant opportunities for transforming Tanzania’s livestock and fisheries sectors. However, successful implementation will require addressing several challenges:

– Infrastructure Gaps: Continued investment in markets, processing facilities, and transport systems

– Technology Adoption: Accelerating uptake of improved breeds, feeds, and production practices

– Market Access: Strengthening linkages between producers and domestic and export markets

– Climate Resilience: Building adaptive capacity to manage weather variability

– Skills Development: Expanding training programmes to match industry demands

– Regulatory Enforcement: Strengthening compliance with quality and safety standards

Conclusion

The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries’ budget for 2026/2027 represents a strategic investment in Tanzania’s economic future. With livestock and fisheries contributing significantly to GDP, employment, and food security, the sectors are well-positioned to drive inclusive growth and poverty reduction.

The budget’s focus on production enhancement, infrastructure development, institutional strengthening, and innovation creates a solid foundation for sectoral transformation. Strong political support, development partner engagement, and stakeholder participation provide enabling conditions for successful implementation.

As Tanzania pursues its Vision 2050 goals and middle-income status aspirations, the livestock and fisheries sectors will play an increasingly important role. The 2026/2027 budget sets the stage for realising this potential and delivering tangible benefits to millions of Tanzanians whose livelihoods depend on these vital sectors.

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