By Business Insider Reporter, Dodoma
The Tanzanian government has pledged to sustain and expand its fertilizer and pesticide subsidy programs, aiming to support over 1.2 million hectares of irrigated farmland in the 2025/26 fiscal year.
The assurance was given in the Parliament today, June 12, 2025, by Prof. Kitila Mkumbo, the minister in the President’s Office dealing wioth Planning and Investments.
He was tabling the nation 2025/26 economic overview as part of the national budget to be delivered later in the evening by the Finance Minister, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba.
The new plan includes increasing production of approved seeds to 80,000 tonnes and boosting investment in value chains through public-private partnerships.
“Our goal is to make farming productive and profitable,” said Prof Mkumbo.
Presenting Agriculture Ministry budget earlier thisk months, the Minister for Agriculture, Hussein Bashe remarked; “Subsidies are just one piece; we’re working on markets, technology, and irrigation too.”
The government’s agricultural strategy targets growth in horticulture, sugar, rice, and sunflower, as well as boosting traditional cash crops like cotton and tobacco.
In 2024, more than 42 private firms were engaged in agro-processing partnerships, helping to increase value addition and export earnings.
Many stakeholders have welcomed the subsidy plans but urged for complementary investment in rural infrastructure and farmer education.
“Without roads and knowledge, even cheap inputs won’t change outcomes,” said one stakeholder.
The program also includes digital innovations for farm extension services and real-time input distribution tracking, reducing delays and corruption. With food security now a global concern, the initiative is expected to stabilize domestic supply and promote agribusiness jobs among youth and women.
