Paje, Zanzibar. In the heart of Paje, a village on the south-eastern coast of Zanzibar, two young men have redefined what agriculture can mean for youth.
Their story is one of ambition, innovation, and the transformative power of agro-financing.
Through the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB), Ismail Yusuph Maslim and Kamal Haji Simba have turned their start-up farm into a vital supplier for Zanzibar’s tourism industry.
TB Farm Partnership, the agribusiness they co-founded in 2019, began as a modest initiative on 12 acres. Both founders had professional qualifications—Ismail in meteorology and Kamal in civil engineering—but chose to reject the conventional path of office jobs.
Instead, they invested in the soil. Their first crops included tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, papayas, and watermelons. From the start, they saw farming not as subsistence but as business.
“Farming is not a punishment,” Kamal said. “It is a golden opportunity for young people.” His words capture a shift in mindset that institutions such as TADB have been trying to nurture across the country.
That shift required more than vision. For many young farmers, access to capital is the difference between potential and collapse.
TB Farm’s turning point came when TADB extended affordable loans and technical advice.
With the support, the partners installed a reliable irrigation system, secured improved seeds, and built a modern storage facility.
These investments allowed them to scale production and meet the quality standards demanded by international hotels operating in Zanzibar.
The impact has been remarkable. Today, TB Farm supplies more than ten major hotels, including four- and five-star establishments on the island’s tourism belt.
This has reduced the dependence of hotels on imported vegetables while ensuring that money spent on food circulates within the local economy.
“Every crate we deliver is a statement,” Ismail noted. “It shows that Zanzibari farmers can meet the standards of the best hotels. We no longer have to look outside for what we can grow here.”
The economic ripples extend well beyond their farm.
By sourcing additional produce from smallholder farmers in nearby villages, TB Farm has created a reliable market for local growers who once struggled with uncertain buyers.
This aggregation model ensures consistency for hotels while generating steady incomes for rural households.
Women and youth have found jobs in farming, harvesting, packaging, and delivery, adding to the social value of the enterprise.
A local farmer in Paje explained how the partnership changed his livelihood.
“Before TB Farm, I sold tomatoes in the market with no guarantee of price or buyers,” he said. “Now I know every harvest has a place to go. My income is steady, and I can plan for my family.”
A TADB official described the venture as a symbol of what the bank aims to achieve.
“Our role is to unlock potential. Youth like Kamal and Ismail show that when financing meets innovation, agriculture becomes a respected and profitable sector,” the official said.
For Zanzibar, the implications are significant. The tourism industry, which is central to the island’s economy, has long relied on imported produce to meet the demands of visitors. That reliance drains foreign exchange and limits opportunities for local farmers.
By linking agriculture directly with tourism, TB Farm offers a blueprint for reducing import dependence and boosting local supply chains.
TB Farm also demonstrates the role of knowledge in farming. Ismail’s background in meteorology has guided their approach to climate-sensitive production, while Kamal’s training in engineering has shaped the farm’s infrastructure development. This mix of education and practical entrepreneurship has created efficiencies that smaller farms often struggle to achieve.
“Education gave us the tools, but financing gave us the chance to act,” Kamal reflected. “Without TADB, our ideas would still be on paper.”
The venture’s growth has not been without challenges. Rising input costs, fluctuating market demand, and the logistics of consistent supply have tested their resilience. Yet the stability of contracts with hotels and the backing of TADB have provided a cushion against these pressures.
For Zanzibar’s youth, TB Farm offers both inspiration and a challenge. It shows that educated graduates need not rely on office employment, but can instead turn to agriculture as a dignified and lucrative career.
With tourism continuing to expand, the demand for fresh, high-quality produce will only increase. If more young people can be supported to enter this space, the potential for growth is substantial.
At a policy level, the case highlights the importance of targeted financing. Analysts argue that without institutions like TADB, many promising ventures would never take off.
Commercial banks often shy away from agricultural lending due to perceived risks. Development-focused financing therefore fills a crucial gap, enabling the creation of viable enterprises that link directly to national priorities.
As the sun sets over Paje, the sight of trucks leaving TB Farm with crates of fresh vegetables bound for luxury resorts tells a simple story.
It is the story of two young men who refused to wait for jobs and instead created them. It is also the story of how agro-financing can translate ambition into achievement, and how one farm can inspire a generation.
“Farming gave us freedom,” Ismail said. “We are not just feeding hotels. We are feeding hope for the youth of Zanzibar.”
Their words echo the wider lesson: agriculture, when backed by vision and financing, can be more than survival. It can be the foundation of a new rural economy—one that connects farmers to markets, links agriculture to tourism, and turns youthful ambition into national progress.