THE agricultural sector remains the backbone of Tanzania’s economy, contributing to over 65 per cent of employment and nearly one-third of GDP (World Bank, 2023).

However, the sector faces persistent challenges, including low productivity, limited access to financial services, limited access to right inputs, limited access to authentic agricultural information, market inefficiencies, vulnerability to climate change, disease and pest infestation.

This article explores the transformative role of technology in shaping the future of agriculture in Tanzania.

Drawing on recent achievements, policy directions and regional and global trends, it examines how digital tools, automation and data-driven innovations can drive productivity, sustainability and youth engagement in the sector.

The article presents key achievements, identifies gaps, provides actionable recommendations and provides best-practice benchmarks to guide evidence-based implementation and policy alignment for stakeholders.

Tanzania is making significant strides in modernising its agricultural sector through the adoption of technology, leading to increased productivity, improved livelihoods for farmers and enhanced food security.

The country has reached 128 per cent food security and is now exporting surplus to neighbouring countries.

The implementation of the Participatory Integrated Agro-technology Advancement (PIATA) initiative, supported by various partners, resulted in significant increases in maize and bean yields in certain regions.

Tanzania has broken another record by becoming a processor and net exporter of cashew nuts, which for nearly all African countries, are processed in Asia.

Also, the country has also succeeded in rural electrification with more than 90 per cent of its 12,318 villages with electricity, which is crucial for powering agricultural technologies and improving living standards.

These advancements are not only contributing to food security and economic growth but also empowering rural communities and creating a brighter future for the nation.

Recent years have witnessed encouraging advancements. We have seen development of platforms that link farmers with markets, provide digital agricultural information, localised farming tips, weather forecasts, crop advice, market prices and best practices in Swahili via SMS and apps.

The key drivers of technological achievements in agriculture in Tanzania include both systemic reforms and targeted innovations.

Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP II) supports mechanisation, irrigation and digital extension services.

Digitalisation offers game-changing solutions by providing real-time agricultural data, digital financial services, digital production and processing technologies and market intelligence tools to smallholder farmers.

Widespread mobile phone and internet usage has enabled access to weather forecasts, market prices, mobile money for transactions, digital advisory platforms, USSD and SMS platforms that help farmers even without smartphones.

Fintechs and banks now offer mobile-based loans, crop and livestock insurance using remote data, resulting into digital financial inclusion that drives investment in new tools.

Increased availability of tractors and power tillers (through government subsidy programmes), drones for crop surveillance, irrigation systems and solar pumps helps to increase productivity and reduces labour intensity.

GIS and remote sensing tools support land use planning, pest and disease tracking, yield prediction and soil health monitoring.

Partnerships with NGOs, agri-tech startups and international organisations (eg. FAO, World Bank, AGRA) have led to digital extension platforms, farmer cooperatives with digital record-keeping, pilot testing of new seed varieties and climate-smart tech.

Local institutions like Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Nelson Mandela Institute of Science and Technology play a key role in developing tech-driven research, training agro-entrepreneurs and supporting incubators like SUGECO.

We have seen climate-smart initiatives that focus on resilience and adaptation using tech including drought-resistant crops, precision farming and conservation agriculture techniques.

In digital financial services we have seen tools that are improving access to credit and insurance for smallholders.

Adoption of IoTenabled sensors and drones is still limited but growing through pilot projects. Government-backed systems such as e-Soko and initiatives by the Ministry of Agriculture are enhancing farmer outreach.

Innovation hubs and competitions (eg. by COSTECH and GIZ) are fostering youth-led agri-tech startups. Despite progress, several gaps persist: Rural areas lack reliable internet access to support digital platforms.

Farmers often lack the skills to adopt complex technologies and are crowded by unauthentic information from unverified digital platforms. Many projects operate in silos without scaling nationally. High costs limit access to modern machinery and smart tools.

Weak regulatory frameworks delay integration of emerging technologies like drones or blockchain.

Tanzania’s efforts can be benchmarked against leading examples both in the region and across the globe.

These benchmarks are very relevant to the country in terms of, providing scalable platforms for inputs and markets, digital subsidy tracking and targeting, ICT-enabled rural kiosks for market access, crowdfunding for smallholder farmers and high-efficiency water-saving technology.

The models used offer valuable insights for Tanzania, particularly in public-private partnerships and smart subsidies. To realise the full potential of agri-tech in Tanzania we need to: Expand broadband and mobile access under the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF), encourage the private sector to invest more in fixed broadband, integrate Agritech into education to prepare future farmers and innovators, integrate agri-digital training into extension programmes and vocational institutions, leverage innovation ecosystems and agribusiness accelerators, finalise and implement policies on digital agriculture, drone use and data privacy and develop agri-fintech tools tailored to smallholders and youth entrepreneurs.

To track progress, the following indicators targeting 2030 are proposed: per cent of farmers using digital services (above 50 per cent), rural internet penetration (above 90 per cent coverage), number of agri-tech registered startups (above 300), agricultural productivity growth (at least 6 per cent annually) and Youth employment in agritech (at least one million new jobs).

The future of agriculture in Tanzania is tightly linked to how effectively the nation leverages digital technology.

With coordinated strategies, investments and inclusive policies, technology can unlock significant value in the sector, enhance resilience and attract the next generation of agri-preneurs.

The journey ahead requires deliberate action, collaboration and adaptive governance.

Technology is not just an enabler but a catalyst for the transformation of agriculture in Tanzania.

With the right investments, policies and partnerships, technology can significantly improve productivity, ensure sustainability and create inclusive economic opportunities in the agricultural sector.

The future of agriculture in Tanzania lies in digitally empowered smallholders, data-driven policymaking and innovative agrisolutions tailored to local contexts.

Tanzania has the talent, land and potential now it needs to scale innovation for impact.