Tanzania has launched a three-year results-based initiative designed to increase milk production, improve livestock services and raise incomes for dairy farmers across four regions.
The AgResults Tanzania Climate-Smart Dairy Prize Competition, launched in Dodoma in partnership with Heifer International Tanzania and other stakeholders, will reward livestock service providers for achieving verified improvements in artificial insemination, animal health, animal feeding and livestock husbandry.
The programme will operate in Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya and Morogoro, where dairy development activities are already underway.
Providers to be rewarded for verified results
Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Ng’wasi Kamani said the results-based approach is intended to ensure investment in livestock services produces measurable benefits for farmers.
Under the scheme, artificial insemination service providers will receive US$15 for every verified successful pregnancy achieved using quality semen supplied at an affordable price.
The government said independent assessors will verify that services meet required standards and are delivered at approved prices. Providers have also been cautioned against using the incentive programme as justification for increasing charges to farmers.
The initiative comes as Tanzania seeks to improve productivity from its large livestock population. According to Kamani, the country has more than 40 million livestock, but productivity remains below its potential.
Large gap between milk demand and production
The Tanzania Dairy Board said the initiative will also focus on increasing milk production and developing stronger markets for dairy products, potentially giving farmers more reliable outlets for their milk.
Project presenter Edna Lusuva highlighted the scale of Tanzania’s dairy supply challenge. Annual milk demand is estimated at approximately 13 billion litres, while current production stands at around 3.1 billion litres.
She attributed the gap partly to the prevalence of low-yielding cattle breeds and inadequate use of quality feeds.
The new programme will therefore encourage farmers to improve feeding practices alongside breeding and animal management, with the objective of raising productivity at farm level.
Focus on breeding, feeding and animal health
Artificial insemination is expected to be an important component of the initiative because improved breeding can help farmers access animals with stronger production characteristics.
However, the programme extends beyond genetics. Animal health, nutrition and livestock husbandry are also included among the areas where service providers can earn rewards for verified improvements.
The approach links payments to measurable outcomes rather than simply the delivery of services. This is intended to encourage providers to focus on the effectiveness and quality of their interventions.
Independent verification will be central to the programme. PwC Audit Manager Nelson Msuya said PwC has been appointed to assess accounting records, sales receipts, production records and other supporting documents before results are confirmed.
Heifer International brings dairy experience
Heifer International Tanzania Executive Director Mark Tsoxo said the organisation has operated in Tanzania for more than five decades.
According to Tsoxo, the organisation has reached around 1.3 million livestock-keeping households and distributed approximately 282,000 heifers, while supporting development across the dairy value chain.
The organisation’s involvement adds an established livestock-development network to the new results-based initiative.
Market development remains important
Increasing milk production alone may not close Tanzania’s dairy gap if farmers lack reliable markets for additional output. The Tanzania Dairy Board has therefore identified market expansion as another component of the programme.
Improved market access could help farmers convert higher production into increased income while supporting growth in dairy processing and distribution.
Dairy Producers Association Chairman Hamisi Mzee said farmers and other industry stakeholders would work together to implement the programme and improve milk production nationally.
The three-year initiative represents a shift toward linking livestock-sector incentives with independently verified outcomes. By combining improved breeding, animal health, feeding, husbandry and market development, Tanzania aims to address several factors contributing to low dairy productivity while creating stronger economic opportunities for farmers.
