The government of Tanzania has announced plans to provide a subsidy of 52,000 tons of high-quality maize seeds to farmers during the 2024/2025 farming season.
This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports and Government Spokesperson, Geryson Msigwa, during a press briefing held on December 19, 2024, in Dar es Salaam.
“As of November 30, 2024, a total of 4,000 tons of quality maize seeds worth TZS 3,496,721,000 have been purchased by 79,335 farmers,” said Msigwa.
Speaking on the availability of high-quality seeds, Msigwa stated that the estimated national demand for these seeds for the 2024/2025 season stands at 80,000 tons, while availability has reached 42,471.09 tons, representing 53% of the estimated requirement.
“Out of this amount, 29,819.57 tons were produced locally, while 12,651.52 tons were imported,” he noted.
Msigwa further highlighted an increase in domestic seed production, which grew from 42,096.68 tons in the 2022/2023 season to 56,114 tons in the 2023/2024 season. This, he said, reflects strengthened local production efforts aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in agricultural inputs through improved irrigation infrastructure and collaboration with the private sector.
On fertilizer demand and supply, Msigwa revealed that the estimated national requirement for fertilizer and its supplements for the 2024/2025 season is 1,000,000 tons. By November 30, 2024, availability had reached 769,060 tons, accounting for 77% of the demand.
“This availability includes a carryover of 260,403 tons from the previous season, local production of 58,669 tons, and 449,988 tons imported from abroad,” he explained.
Local fertilizer production has also seen significant growth, increasing from 84,696 tons in 2022/2023 to 158,628 tons in the 2023/2024 season. Msigwa attributed this improvement to government efforts in collaboration with the private sector, utilizing domestic raw materials like rock phosphate.
To enhance productivity and ensure food security, Msigwa emphasized the government’s implementation of a subsidy program for maize seeds and fertilizers.
“The aim of this subsidy is to reduce production costs for farmers, increase agricultural output, and ensure a stable supply of raw materials for industries,” he stated.
The distribution of these subsidized inputs is managed through the Digital Subsidy System, overseen by the Tanzania Fertilizer Regulatory Authority (TFRA) and the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI). Farmers must register in the system to access the subsidy.
“Farmers need to register with their village or ward offices, after which agricultural officers will input their details into the digital subsidy system,” Msigwa said.
Farmers will then receive a PIN via SMS, which they can use to purchase subsidized maize seeds and fertilizers based on their farm size and registered crops.
He stressed the importance of farmers using their own phone numbers for registration and transactions, warning that sharing numbers is not permitted.
By November 30, 2024, 4,141,730 farmers, 31 companies, and 2,877 fertilizer agents were registered in the system, along with 666 certified seed agents operating across 7,000 active sales outlets.
The distribution of these inputs has already commenced in regions that received early rainfall, including Mbeya, Kagera, Kigoma, Njombe, Dodoma, and others.
Between July 1, 2024, and November 30, 2024, a total of 253,669.342 tons of subsidized fertilizers, worth TZS 435,724,224,815, were purchased by 406,966 farmers, with the government contributing TZS 90,485,490,128 in subsidies.
To further support agricultural extension services, the government has distributed 5,285 tablets to extension officers, 15 vehicles at regional level, 10 smaller vehicles at district level, 6,444 motorcycles for ward and village officers, 143 soil scanners, 1,000 extension kits, and 6,456 uniforms.
Additionally, 50 extension officer houses are under construction, and 300 motorcycles have been procured to address mobility challenges.
Msigwa called upon farmers to ensure they are registered and have their farmer identification numbers, which are essential for accessing subsidized inputs.
“For those who are not registered, visit your local village or ward offices immediately to be included in the farmer registry,” he urged.
He also encouraged agricultural officers to expedite the registration process using the tablets provided and emphasized the need for local councils to prioritize agricultural extension services.
The briefing concluded with Msigwa announcing that Tanzania will host a major summit of African Heads of State on energy issues on January 28, 2025. He noted that this reflects the success of the government’s efforts to expand rural electrification, which has already connected 12,278 out of 12,318 villages.
“The remaining 40 villages will be connected to electricity by the end of this month,” he assured.
Msigwa underscored the role of the media in informing citizens about these significant achievements. “As journalists, we have a responsibility to participate and continue updating Tanzanians about these important milestones,” he concluded.
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