Tanzania and Türkiye have renewed efforts to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, with both countries exploring new partnerships in irrigation, mechanisation and post-harvest management as Dar es Salaam seeks to modernise a sector that employs the majority of its population.
The commitment emerged from talks in Dodoma between Tanzania’s Agriculture Minister, Daniel Chongolo, and Türkiye’s ambassador to Tanzania, Bekir Gezer.
The discussions focused on expanding collaboration in agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation systems, mechanised farming projects, cold storage facilities and technical capacity building for farmers and agricultural institutions.
The initiative aligns with Tanzania’s Agriculture Master Plan 2050 and the government’s Agenda 10/30 programme, which aims to transform agriculture into a productive and commercially viable sector capable of achieving annual growth of 10 percent by 2030.
Speaking during the meeting, Gezer highlighted the growing role of economic diplomacy between the two countries and pointed to increasing Turkish involvement in Tanzania across sectors such as health, education, fisheries, energy and trade.
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He said deeper agricultural cooperation could contribute significantly to improving farmers’ livelihoods and supporting broader economic development goals.
Chongolo welcomed Türkiye’s engagement and described the ambassador’s visit as a sign of commitment to revitalising bilateral cooperation in agriculture.
“Your timely visit demonstrates your country’s commitment towards renewing the Memorandum of Understanding to enhance agricultural cooperation,” he said.
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The minister noted that Tanzania and Türkiye had previously operated under an agricultural cooperation agreement that covered the period from 2009 to 2014.
He also outlined several investment opportunities for Turkish partners, including projects aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, promoting value addition and expanding agribusiness and agro-processing activities.
The talks also examined opportunities available through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), which has supported development projects in several African countries. Gezer encouraged Tanzanian authorities to make greater use of TİKA programmes to benefit farmers and rural communities.
Officials attending the meeting included Deputy Permanent Secretary for Crops Development and Food Security, Peter Msoffe, Director of Crop Development, Yasinta Nzogela, and Acting Director of Marketing and Food Security, Happy Pascal.
The renewed agricultural engagement comes amid expanding economic relations between the two countries.
According to figures released in 2024, trade between Tanzania and Türkiye increased fivefold over the past decade. Former Turkish ambassador to Tanzania, Mehmet Gulluoglu, said bilateral trade rose from about 60 million dollars during the 2011/12 financial year to approximately 300 million dollars in 2022/23.
He attributed the growth largely to increased Turkish exports to Tanzania, noting that more than 900 Turkish companies exported goods to the East African nation by last year.
While acknowledging that the current trade balance favours Türkiye, Gulluoglu expressed confidence that the strengthening diplomatic and commercial relationship would create opportunities to narrow the gap and expand mutually beneficial investment.
The latest agricultural discussions are expected to further reinforce ties between the two countries as Tanzania pursues ambitious plans to modernise its agricultural sector and improve food security.
