The Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) has awarded 13 high-performing Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) students and called for stronger links between academic training, workplace experience and employment opportunities in the agricultural sector.
The awards, presented on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, were part of a partnership between TADB and SUA aimed at supporting students pursuing studies relevant to agriculture.
Speaking on behalf of TADB, the bank’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Ms Edna Nyatta, said the partnership, established through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), allows the bank to recognise outstanding students while creating opportunities for them to gain practical experience.
She urged the award recipients to go beyond academic achievement by developing innovative solutions to challenges facing Tanzania’s agricultural sector.
“Continue learning, be innovative and use the knowledge you have acquired at university to address the challenges facing our country, particularly in agriculture,” she said.
Ms Nyatta said TADB’s Learn With Us programme was also providing young people with opportunities to gain practical workplace experience through internships.
She said about 10 SUA students had so far benefited from the programme, with six subsequently securing permanent employment at the bank.
The figures highlight the potential of structured internship programmes to help bridge the gap between university training and the skills required in the workplace.
Ms Nyatta said TADB would continue supporting initiatives that expose students to practical work while strengthening the bank’s cooperation with SUA.
The partnership also comes as the agricultural sector seeks a new generation of professionals capable of combining technical knowledge with innovation, entrepreneurship and practical skills.
For his part, SUA Vice Chancellor Prof Raphael Chibunda thanked TADB for supporting the awards and asked the bank to extend internship opportunities to the 13 students who were recognised.
He said practical exposure would help the students connect the knowledge acquired in classrooms with real-world working environments.
“This will help them connect the education they have received with practical experience, preparing them better for employment and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector,” Prof Chibunda said.
The two institutions said they would continue strengthening their cooperation in developing young talent and creating opportunities for students pursuing careers in agriculture and related fields.
