Tanzania is seeking to transform its poultry industry over the next decade, with the Netherlands pledging continued cooperation as the government targets higher egg and meat production, improved chick supplies and increased investment under its National Poultry Development Strategy 2026–2036.
Deputy Netherlands Ambassador to Tanzania Onno Koopmans said the embassy would strengthen cooperation with the Tanzanian government to support the implementation of the strategy and promote sustainable growth across the poultry value chain.
Speaking at the opening of the two-day Tanzania–Netherlands Poultry Business Forum in Dar es Salaam, Koopmans highlighted the need to address challenges affecting farmers, including access to proper nutrition, modern equipment, suitable housing, research and innovation.
He said the growing interest in the sector was reflected in the poultry exhibition, where the number of booths increased from eight to 18 within a year. According to Koopmans, the expansion demonstrates the need for greater investment in technology, training and capacity building to ensure that growth benefits farmers, households, businesses and the government.
The Netherlands also intends to explore sustainable solutions and investment opportunities that could strengthen Tanzania’s poultry industry. Koopmans said knowledge sharing, technical expertise and international cooperation would help accelerate development across the value chain.
He added that poultry farming was becoming increasingly important in creating employment for women and young people, improving household incomes and contributing to government revenue.
At the opening of the Tanzania Poultry Show 2026, Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Ng’wasi Damas Kamani said the event came at an important time, following the government’s launch of the National Poultry Development Strategy 2026–2036 during the Nane Nane Farmers’ Exhibition in Dodoma on August 1.
Kamani said she had seen quality day-old chicks, animal feeds, vaccines, modern poultry equipment and value-added products at the exhibition. She noted that these developments reflected the industry’s gradual transition from subsistence farming towards more commercial production.
The poultry industry currently contributes 1.8 per cent of Tanzania’s gross domestic product, equivalent to more than Tsh 5 trillion, and accounts for between 30 and 40 per cent of output from the livestock sector. More than four million households, representing about 55 per cent of households engaged in agriculture and livestock keeping, raise poultry, according to Kamani.
The new strategy seeks to make the sector more productive, competitive, attractive to investors, inclusive and resilient while improving food security, nutrition, employment and household welfare.
By 2036, the government aims to increase poultry’s contribution to GDP from 1.8 per cent to 3 per cent. Annual egg production is targeted to rise from 7.1 billion to 17.3 billion, while poultry meat output is expected to grow from 156,000 tonnes to 380,000 tonnes.
The strategy also targets an increase in the production of quality chicks from 104 million to 250 million annually. To support the anticipated expansion of poultry production, Tanzania will need approximately three million tonnes of poultry feed each year.
Implementing the ten-year plan is expected to require Tsh 3.53 trillion in investment. The private sector is projected to provide 60 per cent of the funding, development partners 25 per cent and the government the remaining 15 per cent.
Kamani stressed that the government could not deliver the ambitious targets alone, calling for coordinated efforts involving private businesses, poultry farmers, financial institutions, researchers and development partners.
Meanwhile, Poultry Association of Tanzania Secretary General Sufian Kyarua said the 2026 poultry show had attracted exhibitors from South Africa, the Netherlands, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi and other countries, providing opportunities to share international experience and industry practices.
However, he identified high production costs, shortages of animal feed and limited access to finance as major challenges facing Tanzanian poultry farmers. Addressing these constraints will be important to helping producers expand operations and benefit from the sector’s growth.
As Tanzania embarks on its ten-year development plan, sustained cooperation, investment and practical support for farmers will be crucial to turning the country’s production targets into measurable gains in food security, employment and household income.
