Tanzania is set to undergo comprehensive reforms across its productive sectors, as President Samia Suluhu Hassan outlined an ambitious five-year development agenda aimed at modernising agriculture, expanding livestock production, and significantly increasing fisheries output.

Addressing the inauguration of the 13th Parliament on 14 November 2025, President Hassan affirmed that the country’s next phase of economic transformation will be driven by enhanced productivity, strengthened value addition, and expanded export competitiveness. “In the next five years, we are going to make major investments in the production sectors, starting with agriculture,” she told lawmakers.

Central to this vision is a new policy orientation that elevates farming as a strategic, high-value economic activity. “We will be guided by the principle that ‘Agriculture is Business, and the Farmer is an Investor’,” the President said. She announced an ambitious target to raise agricultural sector growth from the current 4 percent to 10 percent by 2030.

According to President Hassan, this shift is designed not only to secure long-term food security but also to uplift millions of Tanzanians whose livelihoods depend on agriculture. “By doing so, we aim not only to ensure food self-sufficiency but also to invest in value chains to benefit the many citizens employed in this sector,” she stated.

Under the new strategy, Tanzania seeks to position itself among Africa’s top producers of maize, rice, and horticultural crops. To achieve this, the government will intensify efforts to accelerate modernisation in farming by expanding access to subsidised inputs—including improved seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides. Water availability will also be increased, with irrigated land expected to expand from 3.4 million acres to 5 million acres through the completion of ongoing dams and irrigation schemes, along with new projects such as those planned in the Rufiji Basin.

President Hassan also announced the establishment of agricultural machinery hiring centres across the country to fast-track mechanisation and technology adoption. Investment in the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) and the Cooperative Bank will be scaled up “to stimulate the agricultural revolution we envision.”

To reduce post-harvest losses and protect farmers’ incomes, the government will continue strengthening the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) and expand the warehouse receipt system, which currently supports several key crop value chains. Although Tanzania enjoys a food self-sufficiency level of 128 percent, the President emphasised the urgent need to increase domestic production of sugar and edible oils. Greater focus will be placed on processing sunflower, palm, and sesame to curtail dependence on imports.

Revitalising Traditional Cash Crops

President Hassan underscored the need to revive traditional cash crops—including tea, coffee, avocado, and cotton—which have faced challenges due to global price volatility and processing inefficiencies. The government intends to implement targeted measures to restore competitiveness in these value chains and strengthen their contribution to national export earnings.