If farmers can’t get expert advice when they actually need it, how can we seriously talk about modern, productive agriculture? That’s the problem the government now says it wants to fix—with a move that could completely change how Tanzanian farmers get support. And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just about giving advice, it’s about cutting through layers of bureaucracy that have slowed farmers down for years.
The government has announced plans to create a new National Agricultural Extension Services Agency, a specialised body that will focus solely on delivering farm advisory services more efficiently and more directly to farmers. Instead of extension officers being tied up in complicated administrative chains, this new agency is meant to free them up so they can work on the ground, side by side with farmers.
Speaking in Lindi, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Daniel Chongolo, explained that the agency is designed to ensure that farmers receive quick, reliable and professional guidance. According to him, when farmers get timely support—from choosing the right seeds and fertilisers to learning better planting, irrigation and harvesting techniques—their productivity goes up, their incomes grow, and the country moves closer to true self-reliance in food and agricultural production.
The announcement was made on Saturday, December 13, 2025, during the launch of Sustainable Production Guidelines for sesame and legumes—two important crops for both local consumption and export. By tying the launch of these guidelines to the new agency, the government is sending a clear signal: it wants not only to produce more, but to produce better, using modern, sustainable farming practices.
Mr Chongolo said the goal is for the Agricultural Extension Services Agency to be fully operational by 2026. He added that it is expected to function as an independent institution, much like TARURA and RUWASA, which manage rural and urban roads and rural water supply respectively. The idea is that, by giving the agency autonomy, it can focus on results rather than getting stuck in slow decision-making processes.
“But here’s where it gets controversial for some people,” he implied: right now, extension services are mainly handled through local government authorities. That means a farmer who wants help often has to deal with several offices, approvals and procedures before getting actual support from an expert. In practice, this can mean long waits, mixed messages, or even giving up altogether.
Mr Chongolo stressed that this structure has made it difficult for many farmers to access help when they need it most—for example, at the start of the planting season or when facing a pest outbreak. He argued that a dedicated agency would cut out these delays by allowing extension officers to work more directly with farmers, without being constrained by multiple layers of local government administration.
He urged extension officers to use this coming change as an opportunity to champion better land use and promote high-yield, high-value crops. For beginners, that means encouraging farmers to adopt improved seed varieties, smarter spacing, proper soil management, and better post-harvest handling. When these practices are applied consistently, they can dramatically increase output from the same piece of land.
At the same event, Lindi Regional Commissioner, Ms Zainab Telack, called on extension officers to intensify farmer education across the region. In her view, training and continuous support are key to improving productivity and strengthening agricultural value chains—from growing and harvesting, all the way to processing, marketing and exporting.
She highlighted that government-supplied agricultural inputs, such as subsidised fertilisers, improved seeds and sometimes equipment, have already helped push up crop yields. These inputs, she noted, have not only raised production but also improved farmers’ incomes at household level, and contributed to economic growth at regional and national levels.
“The inputs provided by the government have contributed to increased production and improved incomes for farmers,” she said, underscoring that these benefits could be even greater if farmers receive strong technical guidance on how and when to use those inputs effectively.
From the field perspective, an agricultural extension officer from Ruangwa District, Mr Jerome Stephano, welcomed the government’s plan. He believes that establishing the new agency will make it easier to deliver consistent, high-quality agricultural education to farmers. For example, officers could organise more frequent field demonstrations, farmer field schools and practical training on issues like pest control, climate-smart agriculture and market-oriented production.
According to Mr Stephano, this reform represents a major step forward. He argued that the agency will not only simplify farmers’ access to expert advice but also help unlock higher productivity across the sector. In turn, this could accelerate development in agriculture, create more jobs, and strengthen food security.
But here’s where it could spark real debate: will creating another agency genuinely solve the underlying problems, or will it just add one more institution to an already complex system? Some might argue that the key challenge is not structure, but funding, staffing, accountability and political will. Others may say that taking extension services out of local government could improve performance—but might also create coordination gaps if not managed well.
So what do you think: is a stand-alone National Agricultural Extension Services Agency the game-changing solution Tanzanian farmers have been waiting for, or should the focus instead be on fixing and strengthening the existing local government system? Do you agree with the idea of making extension services more independent, or do you see risks in centralising them under a new national body? Share where you stand—are you for this move, against it, or somewhere in between, and why?
