Tanzania, Netherlands to boost poultry industry

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA and the Netherlands are seeking to strengthen cooperation in poultry production, technology, research and investment as the government rolls out a 10-year strategy requiring an estimated 3.53tri/- to transform the industry.

The National Poultry Development Strategy (NPDS) 2026–2036 aims to increase the sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 1.8 per cent to three per cent by 2036, while expanding egg and poultry meat production to meet growing demand.

Speaking at the opening of the two-day Tanzania–Netherlands Poultry Business Forum in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tanzania, Mr Onno Koopmans, said his country was committed to working with the government to accelerate the sector’s growth and address challenges facing poultry farmers.

He said cooperation would focus on animal nutrition, modern equipment, poultry housing, research and innovation to improve productivity and strengthen the industry’s value chain.

“It is extremely vital to continue working closely with the government of Tanzania to meet its goals for the growth of the poultry sector while addressing the challenges facing farmers,” Mr Koopmans said.

He said the increase in exhibition booths from eight to 18 within a year demonstrated growing interest in the industry and highlighted the need for further investment in technology, training and capacity building.

“We are committed to sharing knowledge, technical know-how and expertise, which will pave the way for accelerating the value chain in Tanzania’s poultry industry,” he said.

Mr Koopmans added that poultry offered opportunities to create employment, particularly for women and young people, improve household incomes and increase government revenue.

Speaking at the opening of the Tanzania Poultry Show 2026, Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Ms Ng’wasi Kamani, said the government had launched the strategy during the Nane Nane Farmers’ Exhibition in Dodoma on August 1 this year.

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She said the strategy targets increasing annual egg production from 7.1 billion to 17.3 billion, poultry meat production from 156,000 tonnes to 380,000 tonnes and the production of quality day-old chicks from 104 million to 250 million.

Achieving these targets will require approximately three million tonnes of poultry feed annually, highlighting the importance of strengthening feed production and supply, she said.

“The strategy is expected to require 3.53tri/- over 10 years, with the private sector projected to contribute 60 per cent of the investment, development partners 25 per cent and the government the remaining 15 per cent,” she said.

She said more than four million households, equivalent to 55 per cent of households engaged in agriculture and livestock keeping, rear poultry in Tanzania.

“The sector contributes 1.8 per cent of GDP, equivalent to more than 5tri/-, and accounts for 30 to 40 per cent of output from the livestock sector,” she said.

She added, “The government views the poultry sector not merely as a livestock-keeping activity, but as a strategic sector for the national economy.”

She said the industry supported food security, nutrition, household incomes, employment, trade and industrial development, adding that achieving the strategy’s targets would require close collaboration between the government, farmers, private investors, financial institutions, researchers and development partners.

Poultry Association of Tanzania (PAT) Secretary General, Mr Sufian Kyarua, said this year’s poultry show had attracted exhibitors from the Netherlands, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi among other countries, creating opportunities to exchange knowledge and share best practices.

However, he identified high production costs, shortages of animal feed and limited access to finance as major challenges facing poultry farmers.

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