Press Release

UN, Govt Launch Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme

25 October 2024

The Tanzanian Government and the UN launched a new digital agriculture programme to boost rural productivity, improve market access, and empower women and youth.

Caption: Ms Shabnam Mallick, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (front right), and Mr. Gerald Mweli, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture (front left) launch the Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme, alongside senior officials from the Ministry, UNCDF, FAO and IFAD.
Photo: © Ministry of Agriculture

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and the United Nations officially launched a joint programme on (2024-27) that aims to harness digital technologies to transform Tanzania’s agricultural sector, improving productivity and resilience for rural communities, particularly women and youth.

 

This USD 3 million initiative, which is supported by the European Union (EU) through the United Nations Joint SDG Fund, will implement digital platforms to provide real-time agricultural data, support smallholder farmers with better access to information, improve market access and enhance decision-making. 

 

The joint programme, under the overall leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania, will initially be rolled out in the regions of Dodoma, Kigoma, Ruvuma, and Manyara, targeting communities most in need of agricultural support, creating sustainable digital solutions, improving agricultural infrastructure, and fostering collaboration across sectors to transform agriculture. 

 

UNCDF (the lead UN agency for the programme), FAO, and IFAD will work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture, other key Government organizations and other stakeholders, to collectively drive the programme's success and achieve its objectives.


Highlighting the importance of leveraging partnerships to address agricultural challenges through innovative solutions, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Ms. Shabnam Mallick, stated: "This joint programme demonstrates the strength of the partnership between the United Nations and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. Together, with the generous support of the European Union and other contributors to the Joint SDG Fund, we are working towards empowering communities and decision-makers with the data and technologies needed to accelerate the sustainable development of the agricultural sector."

 

Background Information:

The Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme is funded by the United Nations Joint SDG Fund under the Digital High-Impact Track. It is a partnership between the Government of Tanzania and UN agencies, with the goal of accelerating the use of digital innovation to address agricultural challenges, boost productivity, and promote inclusive economic growth.

This Joint Programme is made possible thanks to the generous contributions to the Joint SDG Fund from the European Union and the Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Their support is driving a transformative movement towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. 

EK

Edgar Kiliba

RCO
Communication Analyst

UN entities involved in this initiative

FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
RCO
United Nations Resident Coordinator Office
UNCDF
United Nations Capital Development Fund

Goals we are supporting through this initiative