KAGERA: KAGERA Regional Commissioner Colonel Yahya Kido has said the region has put in place various strategies aimed at cushioning agricultural production against the effects of expected climate variability.
He said the region has sufficient food reserves, adding that preparations are focused on ensuring farmers are well supported and agricultural production remains stable despite changing weather patterns.
According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, Kagera Region has a population of 2.9 million people living in 662 villages. Col Kido said food crop production increased from 3,839,775 tonnes in 2020 to 4,222,692 tonnes in 2025, while cash crop production rose from 68,928 tonnes to 88,935 tonnes.
Milk production also increased from 41,218 litres to 71,047 litres. He urged Tanzanians to embrace cage fishing, saying the sector offers business and employment opportunities. The Regional Commissioner also called on dairy investors to focus more on animal feed production to boost milk and meat output amid growing demand in domestic and international markets.
He further highlighted the significant potential of dairy farming in creating employment opportunities. Kagera has considerable potential to increase revenue from the livestock sector due to favourable conditions for both indigenous and exotic breeds, supported by its strategic location within the Great Lakes region.
According to Col Kido, improved productivity, technology and infrastructure are essential in unlocking the sector’s full potential beyond smallholder limitations.
“Kagera Region has a favourable climate suitable for quality beef production and ranching. Commercial beef ranches already exist in the region, and investors can enter public-private partnerships to optimise commercial ranching activities,” he said.
He advised livestock keepers to avoid maintaining large herds of unproductive cattle and instead adopt modern dairy farming practices, which are more productive and economically viable.
“While Tanzania has a competitive advantage in livestock resources, opportunities within the dairy sector remain underutilised. Kagera Region has a conducive climate and fertile soils suitable for largescale investment in the dairy industry,” he added.
Col Kido said the government has prioritised the dairy sector as a driver of industrialisation, food and nutrition security as well as income generation. He noted that the dairy sector contributes 30 per cent of domestic livestock production and about 1.2 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to him, Kagera has 714,779 indigenous cattle, 638,102 goats, 66,054 sheep, 71,261 pigs and 1,048,122 chickens. The region also has about 20,438 dairy cows producing approximately 20 million litres of milk annually, with each cow producing an average of five litres per day.
ALSO READ: TARI strengthens cassava research partnership
Beef production stands at 5,000 tonnes per year. Despite the vast livestock resources available in the country, the sector contributes only 7.6 per cent to GDP, which remains low compared to its economic potential.
He said the livestock sector plays a crucial role in strengthening the national economy through improved household food security, income generation, foreign exchange earnings and employment creation. Col Kido also noted that livestock contributes to increased purchasing power, as animals can easily be converted into monetary value when needed.
He stressed that the private sector plays a key role in Tanzania’s industrialisation agenda and urged local government authorities to work closely with investors, particularly in the livestock sector.