The Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) has invested TZS475.83 billion in 38 coffee-related projects, while a credit guarantee scheme has facilitated another TZS192.21 billion in loans, as the bank seeks to expand financing across the country’s coffee value chain.
The investments have reached 313,882 beneficiaries, including 61,202 women and 54,794 young people, according to figures released by the bank during the Coffee Festival 2026 in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.
The financing targets activities ranging from coffee production and collection to storage, processing, value addition and marketing, areas that determine how much farmers and other businesses earn from the crop.
TADB’s Northern Zone Manager, Alphonce Mokoki, said coffee was the leading crop in the bank’s financing portfolio because of its contribution to farmers’ incomes and the wider economy.
“For TADB, the success of agricultural financing is not measured by the amount of money disbursed alone, but by the impact it creates,” he said.
“We want to see farmers increase productivity, cooperatives strengthen their capacity, coffee processing and trading businesses grow, the value of the crop rise and market opportunities improve.”
Beyond direct lending, the bank uses its Smallholder Credit Guarantee Scheme (SCGS) to widen access to financing through commercial banks and other partner financial institutions.
Mr Mokoki said the scheme had facilitated TZS192.21 billion in loans through 20 partner financial institutions, providing another channel for farmers and agricultural businesses to access credit.
The arrangement is intended to reach borrowers who might otherwise struggle to secure financing, although the bank did not provide details on the terms of the loans or the number of additional beneficiaries reached through the scheme.
Mr Mokoki said financing the entire value chain was important because coffee production alone could not deliver maximum returns to farmers without adequate storage, processing and access to markets.
“Coffee does not begin and end on the farm. There is a journey from the farmer to collection, storage, processing, value addition and marketing,” he said.
He added that investment in post-harvest infrastructure could help reduce losses, improve coffee quality and enable farmers and other value-chain participants to store and sell their produce at more favourable times.
Among the beneficiaries of TADB financing are Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU), Karagwe District Cooperative Union (KDCU), Ngara Farmers, WAMACU in Mara, Wahurumie AMCOS in Horongo Mbalizi, GDM factory in Mbozi and Mbozi Coffee Curing Company Limited.
The bank is also promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices to help farmers and coffee businesses cope with the effects of climate change.
Working with the Tanzania Coffee Board, cooperatives, farmers’ associations, processors and traders, TADB says it aims to increase investment and strengthen the competitiveness of Tanzanian coffee.
Mr Mokoki said the bank’s objective was to ensure that financing translated into higher productivity, better farmer incomes and growth in businesses involved in processing and adding value to coffee.
The Coffee Festival 2026, running from October 8 to 10 in Moshi, provides a platform for the bank to engage farmers and other industry participants on available financing opportunities and investment across the coffee value chain.