Browsing: Tanzania

• Tanzania to earn $400 million annually from tobacco export/sells.
• The country now ranks second largest tobacco producer in Africa after Zimbabwe.
• Tobacco has no known health benefit. On the contrary, it causes disease, disability and premature death. Over 6 million people die globally every year from tobacco-related illnesses.

Tanzania has been ranked as the second-largest producer of tobacco in Africa, falling behind only neighboring Zimbabwe, even as tobacco’s toll worsens globally. The ranking comes after a bumper harvest in the year 2022/2023, as announced by Tanzania’s Minister for Agriculture, Hussein Bashe.

According to the minister, the country’s tobacco production has more than doubled over the last year alone to 122,858 tonnes in FY2023/2024 from 50,000 tonnes earlier.

As of December last year, the export value of tobacco stood at $316 million, and with the increase in output, the minister is confident that this year the country will attain its …

• Ramadan fasting increases economic activities around the world.
• The travel sector, especially airlines registers higher revenues during pilgrimage after Ramadan fasting.
• Zanzibar has announced tax breaks for consumables during Ramadan fasting.

Every year, from the beginning of Ramadan fasting, Muslim faithful increase spending, travel more and invest significantly to celebrate the Eid vacation.

“As people’s mobility increases, the transport sector’s business also experiences a surge…as people spend the overall economy is stimulated,” explains Abdul Rashid an economist in Tanzania.

The economics of a country change during Ramadan and the months leading to and immediately after the Holy Month. This multiplier effect is felt throughout the world as the Islamic communities prepare, fast and observe the Holy Month.

Take Tanzania for example, the East African country is over 40 per cent Muslim, Ramadan fasting causes increased economic activities ranging from import and export of food, increased spending and pilgrimage related spending.…

• The number of tourists visiting Tanzania has significantly increased, especially visitors to the globally famous caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater.
• Over half a million tourists visited the East African country in the first half of the 2023/24 year.
• Authorities have managed to control poaching in the renowned UNESCO Heritage site, Ngorongoro Crater, a top tourist destination.

The number of tourists visiting Tanzania has significantly increased, especially visitors to the globally famous caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater.

This 2000-foot-deep caldera was formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some two to three million years ago. Over the years, the crater has become a tourism sensation, attracting thousands yearly.

From the famed lions that climb trees to the sheer size of the crater and the lakes inside it, the grazing herbivores on its slopes, wildebeests, zebras, elephants, buffaloes, name it, all the big five are to be found in and around …

• Expensive loans remain a significant issue across populations engaged in agriculture in Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia.
• A report by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) says capital injection is a significant strategy agribusinesses use to survive.
• Moreover, agribusinesses face high operational costs from fuel prices and low-profit margins driven by currency devaluations.

The lack of agriculture-friendly financial systems saw agribusinesses turn down expensive loan options in the market, with only 15 per cent taking on commercial capital in 2023 and the rest sourcing capital from friends, family and their business savings.

The incentives by the government channelled towards agriculture failed to adequately cushion Agribusinesses from economic shocks, a new report by Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has revealed.

The African Agribusiness Outlook survey is conducted annually to gain insights into the sector’s top priorities, how they address challenges, and what SMEs see as opportunities.

A reflection …

• Tanzania’s coffee industry enjoyed a bumper harvest of beans in the 2022/23 season, earning the economy an impressive $238 million.
• Coffee is the East African country’s largest cash crop and the sector provides income to over 400,000 households.
• To further boost production, the government is increasing the supply of seedlings to more farmers across the country.

Tanzania may be famous for its expansive tourism offerings, iconic Mount Kilimanjaro, awe-inspiring wildlife wonders in the Serengeti, and the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar, but it is quickly gaining fame on a new frontier: the production of world-class coffee beans.

“Some of the finest single-estate and Peaberry coffee beans in the world come from here,” notes international coffee tester and analyst Arne Preuss in his recent review of the development of Tanzania’s coffee industry.

Tanzania’s coffee production

Tanzania’s coffee production averages between 30,000 and 40,000 metric tonnes annually. It is mainly gaining fame …

• The transformative power of AI-powered innovation in empowering farmers with the tools and knowledge to protect their livelihoods and improve food security.
• Innovative solutions such as AI-powered climate information systems and blockchain technology for digital wallets are improving smallholder farmers’ productivity and driving their resilience.
• UN’s IFAD notes that innovation is not limited to cutting-edge technologies but can also be found in rural communities and among farmers themselves.

In Tanzania, AI-powered innovation is revolutionizing the agricultural industry, showcasing the immense potential of technology to drive resilience and productivity among smallholder farmers.

By leveraging an innovative app that analyzes images of pest-infected crops and provides locally available treatments, farmers have collectively saved an estimated US$100 million in lost crops.

This success story from Tanzania shared with the world during the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 47th Governing Council in Rome, Italy, underscores the transformative power of AI-powered innovation in empowering …

• Tanzania-based clean energy company, TRí, is introducing electric tricycles to the country’s transportation sector to reduce carbon emissions.
• On average, the oil-powered motorcycle is estimated to be 10 times more polluting per mile than a passenger car, light truck, or SUV.
• The move to roll out electric motorcycles aligns with Tanzania’s Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) Program, which aims to promote zero emissions by 2030.

The transport industry accounts for a significant amount of carbon emissions in Tanzania and around the world. Through players in the private sector, Tanzania is turning the tide with green transport startup, TRí, launching electrical tricycles in the market.

These tricycles promise cost savings for thousands of riders, especially small-scale traders who dominate the country’s transport industry.

With the rising cost of fuel, electric tricycles are becoming the go-to option for traders who are keen on protecting their margins, with TRí’s market survey showing that their …

• In 2023, Tanzania’s telecommunication sector earned approximately US$2.2 billion.
• The TCRA reports that the telecom sector is growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 4 per cent.
• Mobile money subscriptions in Tanzania reached 44.35 million subscribers last year.

Tanzania’s telecommunication sector growth

The total service revenue of Tanzania’s telecom sector reached US$2.2 billion in 2023, and the market is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 4 per cent until 2028, according to global data.

A report titled “Tanzania Telecom Services Market Overview” attributes the sector’s performance to the increasing contributions from mobile data and fixed broadband service segments.

The report also notes that initiatives such as the Digital Tanzania Initiative, aimed at achieving 80 per cent broadband penetration by 2025 in partnership with the World Bank and mobile operators, and the adoption of 5G services will drive the market …