Deputy Minister for Agriculture David Silinde has praised the pace of implementation of three flagship irrigation projects in Shinyanga, Simiyu and Mara regions, saying the progress matches the scale of public investment and reflects the government’s resolve to transform the agricultural sector.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the projects, Mr Silinde said the Nyida Dam in Shinyanga, the Kasoli irrigation project in Bariadi District, Simiyu Region, and the Bugwema irrigation scheme in Mara were advancing steadily and would deliver long-term benefits to farmers and surrounding communities.
He called on residents to safeguard the infrastructure, describing irrigation as a backbone of sustainable agricultural development.
The Deputy Minister said he was satisfied with the status of construction at Nyida Dam, noting that once completed the project would significantly expand irrigation farming and reduce dependence on rainfall.
The scheme is expected to boost crop production, particularly rice, while improving the livelihoods of more than 1,500 households.
He reiterated that the Sixth Phase Government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan is committed to moving farmers away from rain-fed agriculture towards reliable and climate-resilient irrigation systems.
Mr Silinde said the National Irrigation Commission, under the Ministry of Agriculture, will complete the remaining 10 per cent of works at Nyida while expanding the irrigated area from 425 hectares to over 800 hectares, with design work for the additional area already underway.
He also urged farmers to comply with the payment of irrigation service fees to ensure sustainability of the projects and continued government investment in the sector.
Providing technical details, Shinyanga Regional Irrigation Engineer Ebenezer Kombe said Nyida Dam has a water storage capacity of 7.8 billion litres and is designed to serve 800 hectares of farmland, with potential to extend irrigation to up to 1,500 hectares in neighbouring areas.
He said farmers have already started using water from the dam this farming season, while fish harvesting has begun, adding that the dam will also support aquaculture and livestock watering.
Mr Kombe said the project is being implemented by the government through the National Irrigation Commission and that in the 2025/26 farming season Shinyanga Region plans to cultivate 661,236 hectares of food crops and 99,814 hectares of cash crops, with irrigation playing a key role in addressing climate change impacts.
Construction of the Nyida Dam began in January 2023 and is expected to be completed by May 2026, with progress currently above 90 per cent.
In Simiyu Region, Mr Silinde commended the progress of the Kasoli Dam project in Bariadi District, saying it is in its final stages.
Construction started on January 16, 2023 and is scheduled for completion on May 5, 2026, with overall progress standing at 90.2 per cent.
He said the dam has a storage capacity of about 2.7 million cubic metres of water and is expected to serve 650 hectares of farmland, while construction of irrigation canals will begin once a contractor is secured.
During his visit to Mara Region, the Deputy Minister assured residents that the National Irrigation Commission is pressing ahead with irrigation infrastructure development at Bugwema Farm.
He said the government aims to bring a total of 3,000 hectares under irrigation, benefiting more than 3,000 farmers.
According to Mr Silinde, a contractor has already signed the contract and is expected to take over the site next month to commence construction.
He said the projects form part of the government’s broader agenda to strengthen food security, increase farmers’ incomes and build resilience against climate variability through expanded irrigation infrastructure.