The National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET) is implementing a new initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural training and equipping future professionals with skills to address the growing impacts of climate change on Tanzania’s agricultural sector.
The initiative, known as the Climate Change Resilience for Tanzania's Agricultural VET Ecosystem (CREATE) Project, is funded by the European Union and implemented in partnership with institutions from Spain, Italy and Belgium. NACTVET is leading the project’s implementation in Tanzania.
Speaking about the programme, NACTVET Project Specialist Christopher Musiba Majigo said the project seeks to transform agricultural training by integrating climate-smart practices into vocational education and training.
“The project is designed to ensure that agricultural training institutions produce graduates who are capable of responding to climate-related challenges while promoting sustainable agricultural development,” he said.
The project is currently being implemented at Kilacha Agriculture and Livestock Training Institute in Kilimanjaro Region and Dabaga Agricultural Training Institute in Iringa Region.
The two institutions are expected to serve as centres of excellence and models for the expansion of climate-smart agricultural training to other colleges nationwide.
Mr Majigo said one of the project's major achievements has been the capacity building of instructors through specialised training programmes conducted in Italy and Belgium.
The training exposed educators to modern agricultural technologies and climate-resilient farming practices, knowledge they are expected to transfer to students and farming communities.
As part of efforts to improve the quality of agricultural education, the project has also developed five short courses targeting instructors, students and agricultural training institutions.
The courses are intended to strengthen practical skills and support the adoption of innovative farming methods.
Running from 2025 to 2027, the three-year project also focuses on enhancing youth employability by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and the use of modern agricultural technologies.
Mr Majigo noted that participating colleges have already started receiving modern teaching and learning equipment, which will improve training delivery and help produce skilled graduates capable of supporting climate adaptation efforts in the agriculture sector.
Experts say strengthening agricultural education is increasingly important as Tanzania faces rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and other climate-related challenges that continue to affect food production and rural livelihoods.
Through initiatives such as CREATE, NACTVET aims to build a new generation of agricultural professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture across the country.
