The Digital Agriculture Revolution in Tanzania
65%
Of Tanzania's workforce is employed in agriculture.
95%
Of crop production relies entirely on rainfall.
+30%
Potential yield increase with climate advisory.
Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) deliver timely, actionable information directly to farmers' mobile phones. This empowers them to make smarter decisions, mitigate risks from climate change, and improve their livelihoods. Services are delivered via SMS, voice, and simple mobile applications.
Localized weather forecasts
Real-time market prices
Best practice & pest control advice
A growing number of smallholders are gaining access to vital digital tools.
Farmers using DCAS consistently report higher yields per acre compared to those relying on traditional methods alone. This directly translates to increased food security and higher household incomes.
Success in Tanzania is driven by powerful public-private partnerships. This ecosystem connects technology, finance, and agricultural expertise to create a sustainable, commercially viable model that benefits everyone in the value chain.
Receive advice, improve yields, access loans.
Aggregate data & deliver alerts via MNOs (e.g., Tigo).
Provide de-risked loans (TADB, CRDB) using farmer data.
A pioneering service in Tanzania, providing crop-specific advice, weather forecasts, and market data. By offering free text-based information, Tigo dramatically increased its user base, demonstrating the high demand for these services when access barriers are lowered.
In neighboring Kenya, platforms like M-Shwari have successfully linked mobile data to credit scoring, offering small loans to millions. This model is now being adapted for agriculture, where DCAS usage data helps banks create a credit profile for unbanked farmers, unlocking vital capital for seeds and fertilizer.