The Government of Tanzania has purchased 700 motorbikes to be distributed to livestock officers across all local government authorities, signaling a major boost in livestock extension services nationwide.
This initiative is designed to improve accessibility for livestock officers to reach pastoral communities, providing timely education on modern and sustainable animal husbandry practices.
The announcement was made by the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. Ashatu Kijaji, during the launch of the National Milk Week celebrations held in Morogoro Region.
“The distribution of these motorbikes is a deliberate effort by the government to strengthen the livestock sector by ensuring our officers reach farmers in all corners of the country,” said Dr. Kijaji.
“Our goal is to promote the production of safe, high-quality milk that can be processed into various value-added products, thereby improving nutrition and creating economic opportunities.”she added
This year’s distribution builds on last year’s success when 1,400 motorbikes were handed over to livestock officers.
Alongside the motorbikes, the government has increased investment in improved forage seeds to enhance livestock nutrition and productivity.
“We understand that quality feed is critical to improving milk yields and animal health,” Dr. Kijaji added.
Further reinforcing the government’s commitment, Dr. Kijaji announced a nationwide livestock vaccination and identification campaign scheduled for June 16, 2025.
The campaign, to be launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Bariadi, Simiyu Region, includes the distribution of over 36 million digital ear tags.
“We want to identify every single animal in the country,” she said. “This will allow us to track health, manage diseases, and support farmers with better data.”she added
Milk production in Tanzania has seen encouraging growth, rising from 3.7 million litres in the 2023/24 fiscal year to 4.02 million litres in 2024/25.
Morogoro Region has emerged as a leader in this progress. However, the Regional Commissioner, Adam Malima, cautioned that challenges remain.
“Many of our farmers still rely on indigenous cattle breeds, which produce limited milk,” he said. “You find someone with many cows, but their quality of life remains poor because both the animals and herders suffer from malnutrition.”
Addressing market challenges, the Tanzania Dairy Board (TDB) plans to establish milk cafés across the country to encourage consumption and support local processors. Prof. George Msalya, Registrar of TDB, explained, “Only three percent of the milk produced in Tanzania is formally processed. Our milk cafés will not only expand market access but also create new opportunities for value addition.”
Additionally, the Board is piloting ‘milk ATMs’ vending machines designed to provide fresh milk conveniently and affordably.
Pastoralists attending the National Milk Week celebrations expressed gratitude for the knowledge gained. One farmer remarked, “The training has taught me how to improve my cows’ health and milk production. Meeting the bank officials also gave me hope for financial support to grow my business.”
The celebrations also served as a platform for linking farmers with key stakeholders, including the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB), which offers financial services tailored to the dairy sector.
“Access to finance is critical for us to scale up production and processing,” noted another participant.
Through a combination of infrastructure investment, technology adoption, and stakeholder collaboration, the government is laying a strong foundation for modernizing Tanzania’s livestock sector.
“With better support systems, we are confident that our pastoralists will thrive, and the dairy industry will contribute significantly to our national development,” concluded Dr. Kijaji.
