Tanzania's tea industry is once again proving that it can compete on both quality and scale.

Tanzania’s tea industry is steeping in new life, fuelled by the revival of long-dormant factories and fresh investment in modern processing facilities

With national output already up by over 5% to 22,000 tonnes in the 2024/25 season, projections suggest a harvest exceeding 30,000 tonnes of made tea by year-end — a significant leap for one of East Africa’s most promising but underleveraged agricultural sectors.

Beatrice Banzi, director general of the Tea Board of Tanzania (TBT), attributes this upward trend to both public-private partnerships and renewed government focus. Notably, Kilolo Tea Factory — once idle — has resumed operations under a joint venture with Chinese investors. Now producing high-grade orthodox tea for both domestic and export markets, Kilolo is a symbol of the sector’s new direction.

"The government is reviewing previously privatised but now non-operational tea factories with the aim of returning them to farmer ownership under the current legal framework," said Banzi, signalling a push toward empowering local producers while ensuring sustainable governance.

In Dar es Salaam, new processing machinery has been installed to improve capacity, while factories in Njombe and Iringa have secured financing through CRDB Bank. These Southern Highlands regions, home to over 70% of Tanzania’s tea are also seeing the rehabilitation of estates that have lain dormant for more than 30 years.

Victoria Tea (formerly Kagera Tea) is also back in business. Located in the Kagera Region, the factory's relaunch is expected to boost both smallholder incomes and Tanzania’s tea export volumes. TBT’s Marketing Manager, Suleyman Chillo, confirmed the factory’s return and outlined plans to work closely with farmers on improved cultivation, fertiliser use, and harvesting practices.

"These aren’t just factories restarting, they’re economic engines for rural communities," Chillo explained.

Tanzania now boasts over 32,000 smallholder tea farmers and seven large-scale producers, with tea grown across six regions: Tanga, Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya, Mara, and Kagera. In total, 23,805 hectares are under cultivation.

While drought impacted the previous season’s target of 25,000 tonnes, with only 22,000 achieved, optimism remains high. TBT’s acting director of regulatory services, Mbushunoti Mindoi, said the affected factories are preparing to restart operations. "Some closures were related to management challenges, but those issues are being resolved. The affected factories are now preparing to resume operations with renewed vigour."

With renewed investment, modern equipment, and an engaged farmer base, Tanzania's tea industry is once again proving that it can compete on both quality and scale brewing real promise for local growers and global markets alike.

The goal is to increase food security, strengthen market access, and reduce post-harvest losses for farmers.

In a groundbreaking initiative, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in partnership with the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), local cooperatives, private sector actors, and organisations like IDH, has launched the pilot phase of the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission Pillar 3 (FARM P3)

This innovative project targets improving the maize and soybean value chains, benefiting up to 4,000 smallholder farmers in Rwanda's Kayonza District.

With a budget of US$1.23mn, FARM P3 is part of a wider effort, complementing the IFAD-funded Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Management Project Phase II, which aims to support 40,000 rural households. The goal is to increase food security, strengthen market access, and reduce post-harvest losses for farmers, thus enhancing their livelihoods.

"Through FARM P3, cooperatives, SMEs, and banks will work together to foster sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships," said Dagmawi Habte-Selassie, IFAD Country Director. The initiative is designed not only to train farmers and provide essential equipment but also to create lasting business relationships, allowing smallholders to sell more, reduce waste, and boost their incomes.

A core objective of the pilot project is to address post-harvest maize losses, which currently stand at 13.8%. By introducing drying shelters for cooperatives and expanding access to mobile mechanical dryers for SMEs, FARM P3 will help farmers lower grain moisture, meet quality standards, and command better prices from buyers. This improvement will also lower sourcing risks for companies and establish stronger, long-term partnerships with local producers.

"FARM P3 will contribute to advancing PSTA 5 priorities by fostering resilient, inclusive, and market-driven value chains," said Solange Uwituze, Acting Director General of RAB.

In addition to maize, the initiative is laying the groundwork for a commercial soybean market to meet growing private-sector demand. Through inclusive business analysis, demonstration plots, and joint training efforts, the programme is setting the stage for sustainable, profitable soybean farming.

"With Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and clear market links, soybean can increase smallholder incomes by 2.3 times over five years," explained Wangari Nduta, Project Manager, Business Analytics at IDH.

FARM P3 is a key part of a broader global initiative to strengthen food systems, helping smallholder farmers across Africa gain better access to markets and investment opportunities. By reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing market linkages, this initiative is poised to drive transformative change in Rwanda’s agriculture sector.

The funding aims to boost food security, improve productivity, and help farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has committed over N$28mn to support small-scale farmers across Namibia

The funding aims to boost food security, improve productivity, and help farmers adapt to climate change by targeting key agricultural value chains.

According to Simon Nghipandulwa, ministry spokesperson  the initiatives span all 14 regions and include support for horticulture, poultry, dairy, and small-stock farming. Speaking during an oversight tour of the ministry’s programmes, he highlighted that the goal is to uplift small-scale producers through targeted subsidies, technical support, and training.

One major initiative is the Horticulture Support and Value Chain Development Programme, which is expected to benefit around 1,000 producers. Farmers under this scheme will receive significant subsidies: 50% for seeds, 60% for fertilisers, 50% for pesticides and herbicides, and 65% for irrigation equipment and shade nets. Subsidised tillage services are also available at N$500 per hectare. “To qualify, beneficiaries must be Namibian citizens with verified production capabilities, reliable water sources, and concrete production and marketing plans,” said Nghipandulwa.

The Poultry Value Chain Development Scheme, with a budget of N$5.04mn, targets 2,000 poultry producers nationwide. Participants can access a 60% subsidy on production stock, 50% on medicines and feed, and 65% on equipment such as incubators and housing. In addition, N$840,000 has been allocated for training in poultry farming and marketing.

In the dairy sector, a pilot scheme is underway in Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Hardap, Oshikoto, and Zambezi. This Dairy Value Chain Development Scheme focuses on 150 current dairy producers and aims to build a modern, self-sustaining dairy industry. Farmers are eligible for subsidies covering 60% of production stock, 50% of veterinary supplies and feed, and 65% of equipment and construction costs. “The maximum subsidy per beneficiary is N$200,000 for dairy cattle and N$100,000 for dairy goats,” added Nghipandulwa.

The Ministry also continues its Small Stock Distribution and Development Programme, a revolving project that provides vulnerable households with quality breeding stock. Each approved beneficiary receives 20 ewes and one ram to help build long-term income and sustainability.

Al Zain Poultry is a key customer in Oman, demonstrating impressive year-on- year improvements in broiler performance. (Image credit: Aviagen)

Al Zain Poultry, a Ross 308 customer from Oman, has once again demonstrated its commitment to excellence by earning additional awards from the prestigious Ross Broiler Executive Club in recognition of outstanding broiler performance

Since its establishment in 2013, Al Zain Poultry has become a leading name in Oman’s food industry, championing national food security with a premium range of fresh eggs, liquid eggs, and fresh and frozen chicken.

Broiler flock performance remains consistently strong, thanks to the genetic progress of the Ross 308 and the expertise and dedication of Ross customers across the region. The Ross Broiler Executive Club honours producers who reach a European Product Efficiency Factor (EPEF) of 400 or higher with their broiler flocks. Al Zain Poultry was recently recognised with certificates for two of its broiler flocks. The first achieved an average EPEF of 407, with a top-performing flock reaching 428, securing Silver membership in the Ross Broiler Executive Club. The second flock recorded an impressive average EPEF of 422, with its best flock attaining 471.5, earning Gold membership in the Club.

“Al Zain Poultry is deeply honoured to be recognised as an exclusive member of the Ross Broiler Executive Club. This achievement highlights the strength of our relationship with Aviagen- whose genetics, quality, and service consistently deliver exceptional results-as well as the dedication and professionalism of our team. Earning the Gold Award is a true reflection of our commitment to operational excellence, continuous improvement, and best practices across every aspect of our business. We extend our sincere gratitude to our production team for their relentless efforts and to the Ross MEA team for their invaluable guidance and support in reaching this milestone,” said Murtuza Boriyawala, CEO, Al Zain PoultryFarm.

Zohir Hadj-Zoubir, International Commercial Manager, MENA, added: “Al Zain Poultry is a key customer in Oman, demonstrating impressive year-on-year improvements in broiler performance. Their success reflects a steadfast commitment to operational excellence, continuous improvement, and best practices. We commend the Al Zain production team for their dedication, hard work, and relentless efforts, and we look forward to their continued growth and achievements.”