The demand for food has been always increasing progressively due to population growth both nationally and at global levels. Despite the many efforts to curb that, several initiatives have been placed internally, and some others are under collective efforts to cope with the progressive increasing demand. These efforts range from policies and regulations, technologies, economics, politics, and many other aspects of spatial temporal scales. While some are basically directed towards food production, others are centred on industrial production for raw materials. These two sets are equally interdependent, although they exert pressure on the same land, which is the centre of the production of either of the two. So, in an effort to increase productivity on either cash crops or food crops, there are social-economic impacts associated, this is another discussion for another day.
Ideally, food production, particularly cereals, makes up a significant portion of human food. During the Russia- Ukraine war outbreak, the pinch of grain deficit was felt when the global supplies of wheat dramatically surged. Among others, global food security was higher, and about 258 million people suffered from acute food insecurity in 2022, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation report (FAO). As if that was not enough, global fertilizer production declined as a result of the invasion and the following global energy crisis. Briefly, the agriculture sector was caught off guard, and the cascading effects worldwide are massive.
Tanzania suffered equally but the recovery has been impressive recently. Of particular interest is the production of maize, which the country has now doubled. In 2024/2025, the country stands as the second maize producer in Africa. The 11.7 million tonnes is a record ever achieved before now making the country among the top producers after South Africa. Nigeria’s second place has been taken over due to several efforts by Tanzania’s long-term and short-term agricultural investments. Hereunder are some of the efforts.
Increased government subsidies towards fertilizers whereby there has been a sharp increase in fertilizer use. The exact rapid production shift is clearly seen in the doubling in fertilizer use, resulting in doubled production. In the 2022/23 season, when subsidies started, there was a shift from 15 kilogrammes per acre to 24 kg, whereby previously, the country consumed 360,000 tonnes of fertilizer annually. Still, this figure has now risen to 840,000 tonnes. This is a very impressive shift as it has signalled production from 7 million metric tonnes to 11.7 tonnes in 2025.
Another significant effort has been made to improve mechanisation. Although about 80% of maize production comes from subsistence farmers, the initiatives for mechanization have also put some weight on the booming productivity. The maize farming remains typical rain fed but mechanisation. The country, for example, has targeted to deploy about 10,000 tractors by 2030, but about 800 tractors and power tillers now owned by farmers have substantively contributed to the massive shift in productivity.
Not only that but there has also been an increase in access to and use of extension services among farmers. This has provided farmers support to quality good seeds and on-time guidance towards improved agriculture following a government initiative to provide transport and smartphones for extension officers. Parallel to that, there has been a free-soil testing service whereby the farmers can access some essential soil parameters relating to the health of the soil. This is a cornerstone of production. It can be used to determine the amount/volume of inputs which will ultimately be reflected in the production phase. Also, through Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority (NFRA) has been instrumental in facilitating farmers’ access to financial services by supporting the securing of land titles and formal land registration in the agriculture sector.
Leaving the production phase, post-harvest services have been improved, and throughthe National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), not only the food bank is ensured, but also the price is stabilized and secured. The price of produce used to be unstable under the fee market, losing control and welcoming food insecurity. However, now that the government is purchasing the produce from farmers for stocking, there is a reliable market, and food security in the country is ensured. This has stabilized the price, which is a positive gesture for consumers as well as producers in the country. The maize monitoring report released at the end of 2024 by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) indicated that Tanzania has stabilized maize prices in the region, enhancing food security. Tanzania is therefore locating itself potentially as the powerhouse of food security among others.
What is the other supporting evidence of Tanzania’s transition to the African food basket?
The second position in maize production signals that the country can transition to Africa’s food basket, given that other sectors agree with the maize production facts. Indeed, maize is mainly consumed in Africa and it is the centre of most meals in Africa. In Tanzania alone, out of the 11.7 million tones produced, about 80% is consumed internally, and only 20% is exported mainly to neighbouring countries. On a large scale, Africa consumes 30% of the maize produced in the world, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 21.0% of the consumption. Around 14 African countries consume 85-95% of maize as their staple food and are more inclined to consume white maize, with a consumption share of around 90.0%.
On the other hand, Tanzania has potential supplies for other agricultural products, such as rice, which is why the country stands at number four among the most productive producers in Africa. The last season indicates 2,688,000 million metric tonnes of harvest for rice were recorded, making the country stand out as among the top producers. Rice is also a strategic crop for food security, especially in Africa, where it holds immense significance as a staple food crop and serves as a source of sustenance for many people on the continent. Again, in terms of cattle rearing, Tanzania is outstanding in most countries and positions itself among the top with more than 28.3 million herds of cattle. This number has placed Tanzania in fourth position in Africa. This is another stride shift that is a leverage for food security and economic prosperity within the region.
Along the same line, coffee production in Tanzania has attained a fourth position among the top producers in Africa. Coffee production in Tanzania is a significant aspect of its economy as it is Tanzania’s largest export crop. The coffee production between 40,000 and 59,000 metric tonnes averages annually of which approximately 70% is Arabica and 30% is Robusta. With the support from the government, thousands of farmers in the industry are equipped with relevant technological advances and education to farmers on better farming practices; in keeping with continuous professional development and current coffee farming industry best practices, production has recently improved. While coffee is mainly used for export, sisal is another potential cash crop from Tanzania. The crop ranks the country second after Brazil on an international scale. This shows another untapped potential for the country’s economic transformation regardless of the efforts already underway.
Based on these few indicative food and cash crops and the efforts by the country to ride on the potential even when not at the maximum extraction, the country is standing a good potential in the region. Its strategic geographical position also supports it, which serves as an entry point for other landlocked countries—not underestimating the long-term peace and security, making the conducive environment for trade and business and harmony among the farmers to continue their productivity activities. Although climate threats are hitting most of the country, and Tanzania is still not exclusive with decisive actions to tackle climate change, there is increasing hope to sail safely during the striking of disasters, including droughts and famine. The ongoing programmes for transitioning and technological improvement are the vehicles to curb food insecurity and climate-related impacts.
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