Skip to content

Tanzania's agriculture & Food Industry

Tanzania is actively working to reduce its dependence on food imports, particularly for key commodities like sugar and edible oils, through increased domestic production and investment in agro-processing. This strategy aligns with its broader goals of poverty reduction and industrialization.

Photo by Mohnish Landge / Unsplash

Table of Contents

Tanzania's agricultural sector is the undisputed engine of its economy, providing the foundation for food security, employment, and export earnings for the East African nation. Characterized largely by smallholder, rain-fed farming, it holds immense potential for growth and modernization, but also faces significant challenges from climate change and underdeveloped infrastructure.

Overview of Tanzania's Agricultural Industry

Agriculture is paramount to Tanzania's socio-economic landscape. It contributes approximately 25.3% to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of 2023 and employs an estimated 65% of the working population, making it the largest employer by a significant margin. Furthermore, the sector accounts for around 75% of the country's total exports, underscoring its critical role in generating foreign exchange.

Tanzania is endowed with vast arable land, estimated at 44 million hectares, with an impressive 29.4 million hectares suitable for irrigation. Despite this potential, only about 10.1 million hectares (or 23%) is currently under cultivation. The majority of agricultural production is undertaken by smallholder farmers, who typically cultivate average farm sizes between 0.9 and 3.0 hectares using primarily traditional methods, with about 70% of crop area cultivated by hand hoe. This highlights the substantial opportunity for increased productivity through mechanization and improved techniques.

Major Areas of Agriculture in Tanzania

Tanzania's diverse agro-ecological zones allow for a wide range of farming systems and crop production across its regions:

  • Highlands (e.g., Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mbeya, Njombe, Iringa): These areas are known for perennial cash crops like coffee, tea, and pyrethrum. They also produce maize, Irish potatoes, beans, wheat, and horticultural crops (vegetables and fruits like bananas, plantains, apples, pears, and avocados).
  • Lake Victoria Basin (e.g., Kagera, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Mara): This region is important for cotton, maize, sorghum, millet, and oilseeds. Banana/coffee systems are also prevalent.
  • Coastal and Eastern Regions (e.g., Morogoro, Coast, Tanga, Zanzibar): These areas are suitable for cashew nuts, coconuts, cassava, rice, and sugarcane. Zanzibar is particularly renowned for clove production.
  • Central and Western Semi-Arid Areas (e.g., Dodoma, Singida, parts of Mara, Arusha, Tabora): Characterized by lower rainfall, these regions primarily support drought-tolerant crops like sorghum and bulrush millet, alongside livestock farming (pastoral and agro-pastoral systems).
  • River Valleys and Alluvial Plains (e.g., Kilombero, Wami, Rufiji Valleys): These fertile areas are crucial for rice and sugarcane cultivation, often with existing or potential for irrigation.

Drought and its Impact

Drought is a persistent and increasingly severe threat to Tanzania's predominantly rain-fed agricultural sector. Recent experiences, such as the prolonged dry spell in Songwe in February 2025, underscore the growing impact of climate change.

The effects of drought are far-reaching:

  • Crop Failure and Reduced Yields: Erratic and insufficient rainfall leads to significant crop losses, directly impacting food availability for households and contributing to national food insecurity.
  • Livestock Losses: Shortages of pasture and water result in widespread livestock deaths, devastating the livelihoods of pastoralist communities, particularly in the semi-arid central and northern regions.
  • Food Insecurity and Malnutrition: Drought exacerbates food insecurity, pushing vulnerable populations, especially children, into acute malnutrition. While Tanzania generally has good food access, climate shocks can rapidly change this.
  • Economic Losses: Droughts reduce agricultural output, impacting farmer incomes, hindering economic growth, and increasing the need for emergency aid.
  • Water Scarcity: Beyond agriculture, drought strains water resources for domestic use, affecting sanitation and public health.
  • Increased Vulnerability of Smallholders: Farmers with limited access to irrigation, improved seeds, and modern farming techniques are disproportionately affected. However, initiatives like biochar use are showing promise in improving soil moisture retention and climate resilience.

Major Produce Items and Volumes

Tanzania boasts a wide range of agricultural commodities, with both staple food crops and significant cash crops:

Crops (5-year average 2020-2024, 1000 Tons):

  • Maize (Corn): 7,360 (staple food, projected 8,500 in 2024/25)
  • Rice: 2,190 (staple, projected 2,515 in 2024/25)
  • Sugarcane: Total production was 4.71 million tons in 2023/24, yielding 431,736.74 tons of sugar. Tanzania has high cane yields at 120 tons/ha.
  • Cassava: (major staple, especially in coastal and drier regions)
  • Bananas/Plantains: (staple, particularly in the highlands)
  • Coffee: Production increased to 81,366 tons in 2024/25 (4th largest producer in Africa).
  • Cashew Nuts: Production increased significantly to 528,263.82 tons in 2024/25 (8th largest grower globally, 4th in Africa).
  • Tobacco: Production increased to 160,000 tons in 2024/25 (2nd largest producer in Africa).
  • Tea: Significant cash crop, contributing to exports.
  • Cotton: (319 thousand 480-lb Bales 2020-2024 average, projected 400 thousand in 2025/26)
  • Sorghum: 773 (staple in drier areas)
  • Millet: 320
  • Wheat: 77 (domestic supply deficit)
  • Oilseeds: (Sunflower, cotton, groundnuts, soya beans, palm, simsim) Production increased to 2,143,098.70 tons in 2023/24. Sunflower production specifically increased to 1,217,025.51 tons.
  • Horticultural crops: (Fruits like avocado, mangoes, pineapples; vegetables like beans, spinach, okra, tomatoes, onions). Avocado production increased to 195,162 tons in 2024/25.

Livestock:

  • Cattle: Tanzania boasts the second-largest livestock population in Africa, with significant numbers of cattle, goats, and sheep. Livestock farming is particularly dominant in the ASALs.
  • Meat: The demand for beef, goat, mutton, and pork is expected to increase significantly. While specific total production volumes are not readily available, less than 1% of all meat is processed locally, indicating potential for value addition.
  • Poultry and Eggs: The poultry industry is experiencing steady growth, driven by increasing demand. Tanzania produces about 14 billion eggs annually. However, demand for chicken meat and eggs often exceeds domestic production due to low productivity of indigenous breeds and feed availability issues.

Fishing/Seafood:

  • Tanzania has a vast freshwater cover (54,337 sq. km) including major lakes (Victoria, Tanganyika, Nyasa), and a substantial Indian Ocean coastline (1,424 km) with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of about 223,000 sq. km.
  • The country produces about 300,000 tonnes of raw fish annually.
  • Aquaculture (fish farming) is a growing sub-sector with significant potential.
  • Popular seafood items include various types of fish (e.g., dagaa - small fish), and octopus, particularly in coastal cuisine.

Ugali (a thick porridge made from maize, sorghum, or millet flour) is the national meal and a staple across Tanzania, commonly served with side dishes like beans (maharage), vegetables (mchicha, matembele), or various forms of fish or meat (mchuzi ya nyama). Other popular dishes include:

  • Wali na Maharage: Rice and beans, a cherished dish for everyday meals and social gatherings.
  • Pilau: A flavorful rice dish cooked with spices (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin), often served on special occasions.
  • Nyama Choma: Roasted meat (often goat or beef), a popular delicacy.
  • Mishkaki: Skewered and grilled meat.
  • Ndizi: Various plantain varieties, often fried into chips or used in stews.
  • Samaki: Fish, prepared in various ways, especially near the lakes and coast.
  • Mchuzi wa Pweza: Octopus coconut curry (especially in Zanzibar).
  • Chapati and Samosas: Influenced by Indian cuisine, especially in urban areas.
  • Fruits: Mangoes, papayas, watermelons, and pineapples are commonly consumed.

Internal Consumption: Food crop production dominates Tanzania's agricultural economy, with 85% of annually cultivated land under food crops. The country has achieved 128% food self-sufficiency in 2023/24, indicating that domestic production largely meets or exceeds internal consumption needs for many staples, particularly maize (12,261,162 tons produced in 2023/24). However, there are specific supply gaps, such as for sugar and edible oils, which require imports.

Quantity Exported and Excess Produce

Tanzania's agricultural exports are a crucial source of foreign exchange. Agricultural exports reached USD 3.54 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year, a significant increase from USD 2.3 billion in 2022/23.

Major agricultural exports include:

  • Cashew Nuts: A leading export, contributing 10-15% of foreign exchange earnings.
  • Coffee: Another vital cash crop.
  • Tobacco: Significant contributor to exports.
  • Tea: Key export commodity.
  • Cotton: Important agricultural export.
  • Sisal: Historical export, still relevant.
  • Cloves: Especially from Zanzibar.
  • Horticultural products: Including fresh-cut flowers, fruits (like avocados, which saw exports increase to 35,627.02 tons valued at TZS 252.3 billion in 2023/24), and vegetables.

Excess Produce and Food Waste: Despite achieving food self-sufficiency in many areas, Tanzania experiences significant post-harvest losses and food waste due to:

  • Inadequate Storage Facilities: Lack of proper and modern storage, particularly cold rooms, leads to spoilage of perishable goods.
  • Poor Infrastructure: Bad roads and limited transportation options hinder timely delivery of produce to markets, resulting in spoilage.
  • Limited Processing Capacity: Insufficient value addition at the farm level means raw produce cannot be preserved or processed for longer shelf life.
  • Market Imperfections: Gluts during peak harvest seasons, coupled with poor market information, can lead to produce going to waste.

Donating Excess to Local Communities, Food Storage, and Food Banks

While large-scale, formalized food bank networks are still developing, community-based initiatives and NGOs play a role in redistributing surplus food. Organizations like Action Against Hunger work on malnutrition prevention and response, often involving food assistance. There's a growing recognition of the need to reduce post-harvest losses and improve supply chain efficiency to get more food to those who need it.

Food Storage and Refrigeration Facilities: The lack of adequate cold chain infrastructure is a major constraint. While commercial entities and export-oriented sectors (like horticulture) have some cold room facilities (e.g., Arusha Cold Room), access for smallholder farmers is limited. The government and development partners are increasingly focusing on improving storage, including modern grain silos and community-level cold rooms, to reduce losses and stabilize prices. Tanzania's National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) plays a crucial role in procuring and reserving grain stocks (primarily maize) to ensure national food security, though its impact on market prices has been debated.

Annual Revenue from Agriculture and Economic Importance

Agriculture's contribution to Tanzania's GDP was 25.3% in 2023. In Q4 2024, the agricultural GDP reached TZS 11,252,481 million (approximately USD 4.11 billion), representing a significant increase and an all-time high. This makes Tanzania's agricultural sector the 2nd largest in East Africa (behind Ethiopia).

The sector's importance is multifaceted:

  • Poverty Reduction: As the largest employer, agricultural growth is crucial for lifting a large portion of the rural population out of poverty.
  • Food Security: Ensures the availability of staple foods for the nation's growing population, contributing to a 128% food self-sufficiency rate in 2023/24.
  • Foreign Exchange Earnings: Robust agricultural exports are vital for financing imports and national development.
  • Industrial Raw Materials: Provides raw materials for agro-processing industries.
  • Rural Development: Drives economic activity and development in rural areas.

Number of People Employed and Living Conditions of Farm Workers

Agriculture employs a dominant share of Tanzania's workforce, estimated at 65.37% in 2023. This signifies that the vast majority of Tanzanians, especially in rural areas, derive their livelihoods from agriculture.

Living Conditions of Farm Workers: Conditions vary, but generally, smallholder farmers and agricultural laborers face significant challenges:

  • Low and Unstable Incomes: Many operate at subsistence levels, with limited surplus for sale and incomes vulnerable to price fluctuations and weather events.
  • Dependence on Rain-fed Agriculture: High exposure to climate risks, leading to income instability and food insecurity.
  • Limited Access to Resources: Challenges in accessing modern inputs (improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides), credit, extension services, and markets.
  • Poor Infrastructure: Inadequate rural roads and transport make it difficult to access markets and essential services.
  • Basic Housing and Amenities: Many live in rural areas with limited access to quality housing, clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and education.
  • Physical Demands: Reliance on hand tools makes farming physically demanding with low productivity.

Government Programs for Farmers and the Industry

The Tanzanian government is actively implementing various programs and policies to transform the agricultural sector:

  • Fertilizer Subsidy Programme: Launched in 2022, this program aims to improve fertilizer availability, affordability, and proper usage to boost productivity. It has significantly increased the availability of affordable fertilizers and domestic production of fertilizers.
  • Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) Program: Focuses on youth engagement in agriculture, providing training, land, and capital to encourage modern farming.
  • "Kilimo Kwanza" (Agriculture First) Initiative: A broad national framework to prioritize agricultural development, promote commercialization, and attract investment.
  • Irrigation Development: Plans to expand irrigated land, which currently stands at less than 0.5 million hectares out of 29.4 million hectares with irrigation potential.
  • Value Chain Development: Efforts to enhance productivity, processing, and market access for key commodities like coffee, cashews, tea, and horticultural crops.
  • Improved Seed Availability: Programs to increase the domestic production and availability of quality seeds, which has seen a significant increase.
  • Strategic Stockpiling: The National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) plays a role in procuring and storing strategic food reserves, primarily maize, to stabilize prices and ensure food security.
  • Support for Traditional Cash Crops: Initiatives to boost the production of traditional export earners like tobacco, sisal, and cotton.
  • Addressing Edible Oil Deficit: Specific focus on increasing domestic production of oilseed crops (sunflower, palm, groundnuts) to reduce reliance on imported edible oils.

Food Byproduct Industries

Tanzania's agro-processing sector is developing, with significant opportunities for value addition:

  • Milling: Processing of maize, rice, and wheat into flour for local consumption.
  • Sugar Refineries: Processing sugarcane into refined sugar.
  • Tea Processing: Green leaf tea is processed into black tea for export.
  • Coffee Processing: Coffee beans are processed for local consumption and export.
  • Cashew Processing: Raw cashews are processed into shelled nuts for domestic and export markets, although a significant portion is still exported raw.
  • Edible Oil Production: From sunflower, cotton, groundnuts, soya beans, and palm, though domestic production is currently insufficient to meet demand.
  • Fruit and Vegetable Processing: Juices, jams, dried fruits, and canned vegetables (though currently a small percentage of total fruit/veg production is processed).
  • Meat Processing: Limited local processing of meat, with potential for expansion.
  • Fish Processing: Processing of fresh fish into various products, including dried fish and fish meal.
  • Animal Feeds: Utilization of agricultural byproducts (e.g., maize bran, oilseed cakes) for animal feed production.

Dependence on Other Countries for Food

While Tanzania has achieved impressive food self-sufficiency in many staple crops (128% in 2023/24), it still exhibits reliance on imports for specific commodities:

  • Edible Oils: Tanzania imports about 60% of its edible oil demand, spending substantial foreign currency annually. The government is prioritizing increasing domestic production of oilseeds to reduce this dependency.
  • Sugar: Despite high cane yields, Tanzania annually faces a demand gap for sugar, which is met through imports.
  • Wheat: While some wheat is grown, the country's rising consumption (driven by urbanization) means it still imports a significant portion of its wheat requirements.
  • Processed Meat: Vast quantities of processed meat are imported due to limited local processing capacity.

Overall, Tanzania is actively working to reduce its dependence on food imports, particularly for key commodities like sugar and edible oils, through increased domestic production and investment in agro-processing. This strategy aligns with its broader goals of poverty reduction and industrialization.

Latest

Artichoke

Artichoke

Artichokes, with their unique taste, health benefits, and culinary versatility, hold a special place in global cuisine. Native to the Mediterranean, it's celebrated for its distinctive globe shape, tender heart slightly bitter, nutty flavor.

Members Public
Malawi's Agriculture & Food Industry

Malawi's Agriculture & Food Industry

Efforts to diversify the agricultural base, improve productivity, enhance value addition through agro-processing, and develop resilient infrastructure are crucial for Malawi to reduce its external dependencies and build a more stable and food-secure future.

Members Public
Puerto Rico's agriculture & Food Industry

Puerto Rico's agriculture & Food Industry

Efforts to reduce this dependency are crucial for Puerto Rico's resilience and long-term sustainability. This involves strengthening local production, investing in resilient infrastructure, and fostering a robust agro-processing sector.

Members Public
Hydrogenated oil

Hydrogenated oil

Countries with large processed food industries were the biggest producers and users of partially hydrogenated oils. While regulations have significantly curtailed their use, particularly in the U.S. and many European countries, some continue to produce and use them.

Members Public