The Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) has urged young people to invest in agriculture, saying the sector offers opportunities to create jobs, increase incomes and support Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050.
The authority said agriculture plays a key role in the economy by providing employment, supplying raw materials to industries and creating business opportunities for farmers and traders.
Speaking to journalists on October 22, 2026, during the Southern Highlands Trade and Investment Exhibition at Gombe Primary School grounds in Mbeya, COPRA Senior Agricultural Officer Joshua Musimu encouraged young people to explore opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
He said the exhibition gives farmers, traders, students and other visitors a chance to learn about crop production, management and marketing.
“To achieve Vision 2050, all stakeholders, especially young people, should take part in agriculture because the sector creates jobs, provides income and supplies raw materials for various economic activities,” Musimu said.
Musimu said visits to COPRA’s exhibition booth had increased since the event began, with members of the public, traders, college representatives and students seeking information about the authority’s services.
However, he said the number of farmers visiting the booth remained low, possibly because many were not yet fully aware of the opportunities available. He added that distributing information leaflets was helping to raise awareness and attract more visitors.
According to Musimu, many traders have also visited the booth to seek guidance on crop trading procedures, including registration and permits required to transport agricultural produce.
COPRA Agricultural Officer Grade II Benedicta Chuwa said the authority oversees digital auctions for several crops, including cocoa, soybeans, sesame, green grams and pigeon peas.
She said that in areas where digital auctions have not yet been introduced, particularly at border points such as Tunduma and Kasumulu, COPRA monitors crop trading to ensure that businesses operate according to established procedures.
Chuwa added that traders who comply with the authority’s requirements can obtain permits to transport their produce to international markets.
Meanwhile, Lucy Abraham, a resident of Ilomba in Mbeya, said exhibitions of this kind help people learn about business and investment opportunities.
However, she noted that transport difficulties had made it harder for some residents and farmers to attend.
Abraham said a strike by bajaji drivers had affected transport services, preventing some people from visiting the exhibition and learning about opportunities that could improve their livelihoods.