DODOMA — Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Mr. Gerald Mweli, met with Ms. Frauke Jongbluth, the World Bank’s Food and Agriculture Manager, at Government City in Mtumba, Dodoma, on February 18, 2026. The meeting centred on the country’s evolving approach to farmer financing and the broader transformation of agriculture into a viable, credit-worthy industry.

At the heart of the discussion was a longstanding challenge: for years, Tanzanian farmers were locked out of formal credit markets, largely because financial institutions classified agriculture as an informal sector — too unpredictable to lend to with confidence. Mr. Mweli told his guest that this is changing. The Ministry is now actively improving the conditions under which farmers can access low-interest loans, and crucially, pairing that financial access with agricultural education to ensure borrowers have the knowledge and capacity to grow their enterprises and honour their repayments.

Beyond credit, Mr. Mweli outlined the Ministry’s broader agenda. Efforts are underway to connect farmers directly with buyers, cutting out intermediaries and ensuring producers benefit more fully from their harvests. The Ministry is also working to streamline access to inputs such as fertilisers, strengthen extension services that bring technical expertise directly to farmers, and promote the adoption of modern agricultural technologies to improve yields and efficiency.

Ms. Jongbluth responded with notable praise. She observed that Tanzania stands out as one of the strongest performers among the thirteen countries she oversees, citing the country’s consistent implementation of agricultural policy and its effective management of development projects. She confirmed that the World Bank intends to deepen its partnership with Tanzania, and that the institution remains committed to supporting the continued growth of the sector.

The meeting signals growing international confidence in Tanzania’s agricultural direction — and a shared determination to ensure that the country’s smallholder farmers move from the margins of the economy to its centre.