Tabora. The government has warned that all stakeholders in the tobacco value chain who fail to take part in the ongoing registration of tobacco farmers will be barred from working with growers, including cooperative unions and associations across the country.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe, issued the warning this week in Tabora while officiating a working session aimed at improving agricultural insurance services and safeguarding farmers against production risks..
Mr Bashe said participation in the registration exercise was mandatory, emphasising that it formed part of broader government efforts to formalise the tobacco subsector and promote structured commercial agriculture.
“The government will not allow any stakeholder who has not registered farmers to continue operating. Every farmer must be registered and must have crop insurance. This is key to building a sustainable and productive tobacco industry,” he said.
The minister underscored that crop insurance had become a necessity rather than an option, noting that it was designed to cushion farmers against losses arising from drought, pests, diseases, and other natural calamities.
He said the government’s long-term vision was to ensure that every farmer in Tanzania had access to insurance services to strengthen the foundations of agribusiness and reduce the vulnerability of producers to climate-related shocks.
Mr Bashe further directed the establishment of a cooperative insurance scheme to be managed by the Cooperative Bank, aimed at protecting farmers throughout the production cycle,from land preparation to harvesting.
“The cooperative insurance framework will guarantee farmers’ security at every stage of production, ensuring they remain resilient even when faced with unforeseen circumstances,” he added.
For his part, the Tabora Regional Commissioner, Mr Paul Chacha, commended the minister for the initiatives being undertaken to protect farmers’ interests, while calling for a comprehensive review of the existing tobacco insurance system.
He noted that the current structure had several weaknesses that negatively affected farmers and called for a national strategy to ensure farmers are adequately protected from losses both before and after disasters.
Mr Chacha said such a strategy would reinforce the government’s ongoing efforts to make agriculture a reliable source of livelihood and economic growth for rural communities.
