DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Sunday urged the Ministry of Agriculture to establish a framework that enables agricultural institutions to access modern farming equipment, a move aimed at boosting productivity and transforming the sector.
Speaking at the Agricultural International Expo 2025 in the capital, Dodoma, Majaliwa emphasized that agricultural institutions could substantially improve yield if equipped with contemporary technologies.
He proposed that the agriculture ministry should consider offering machinery on credit to facilitate accessibility, given the high costs of modern planting, harvesting and irrigation equipment.
"However, if the ministry provides a structured means of access, even through loans, institutions will be empowered to produce efficiently," Majaliwa noted.
He revealed that during the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 farming seasons, agricultural inputs worth 1 trillion Tanzanian shillings (about 399.5 million U.S. dollars) were distributed to farmers, and 3.8 million tonnes of produce valued at 6.2 trillion shillings were sold through cooperatives.
"These successes underline the strength of the cooperative model in advancing agriculture and improving livelihoods," he said, adding that public awareness on the role and historical importance of cooperatives should be intensified. ■