Today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated the first-year achievements of the USAID Feed the Future Tanzania Kilimo Tija (Productive Agriculture) project in Ugwachanya village, Iringa district.

Attended by Mr. Peres Magiri, the District Commissioner for Kilolo on behalf of the Regional Commissioner for Iringa Region Ms. Halima Dendego, USAID and Government of Tanzania officials, private sector representatives, and local farmers, the event showcased the project’s success in involving young people in profitable horticulture farming and the significance of sharing best practices and technology with communities through partnerships with government, private sector, and local authorities.

During the first year, the project awarded 100 in-kind grants totaling TZS 727 million, including over TZS 178 million to 22 recipients in the Iringa region. These grants provided items such as drip irrigation kits, water pumps, and harvesting crates to support horticulture microenterprises and smallholder farming practices. As a result, youth-led groups including the Agrarian Youth Group in Ugwachanya village have successfully adopted best farming practices, which have benefited both their group and the surrounding communities.

“Without the support from the private sector, farming communities, and the government of Tanzania, this USAID project would not succeed,” said USAID Feed the Future Coordinator Dr. Tor Edwards. “Our partnership aims to support 2,500 Tanzanian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to invest over $20 million and generate 7,400 jobs, primarily for youth.”

The goal of the USAID Feed the Future Kilimo Tija project is to transform Tanzania’s horticulture sector into a regional powerhouse, creating economic opportunities and jobs for youth. Over its five-year period of performance (2022-2027), the $38 million Kilimo Tija project will target regions in Tanzania’s Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor, along with Zanzibar’s Unguja and Pemba islands. Its primary goal is to increase economic opportunities in horticulture market systems, with a special focus on youth, by working with public and private sector associations, youth-led and women-focused institutions, and national and local government authorities.