The African Development Bank (AfDB) has provided a USD 2 million partial credit guarantee and a USD 528,600 grant to facilitate access to fertilizer for smallholder farmers in Tanzania.
The project, which is being implemented by the African Fertiliser and Agro-Industry Partnership (AFAP), will help to increase agricultural productivity and food security in Tanzania.
The project will target five suppliers and 35 hub agro-dealers as direct beneficiaries, 1,000 retailers as indirect beneficiaries, and 550,000 smallholder farmers as the ultimate beneficiaries.
The project will help to improve the availability and affordability of fertilizer for smallholder farmers, which will in turn lead to increased agricultural production and productivity.
The project is expected to have a significant impact on food security in Tanzania. The increased agricultural production will help to reduce food imports and improve food availability for the country’s population. The project is also expected to create jobs in the agricultural sector and contribute to economic growth.
The project will be implemented over a period of three years and will be financed by a combination of AfDB resources and co-financing from other development partners.
The use of fertilizers in Tanzania is extremely low and remains below recommended rates, and low-input and rain-fed subsistence farming dominates Tanzania’s agriculture, contributing to poor crop yields.
High prices inhibit access to fertilizers by small-scale farmers (SSF). More than 90% of all fertilizers used in the country are imported and their price is high.
