Tanzania has launched a US$2.8 million AgResults Climate-Smart Dairy Prize Competition, a results-based initiative designed to improve dairy productivity, farmer incomes and climate resilience across the country.
The competition, running from 2026 to 2028, has been launched by the Government of Tanzania in partnership with Heifer International Tanzania and other stakeholders. Unlike conventional programmes that primarily fund activities, the initiative will reward livestock service providers based on verified results and outcomes.
The competition aims to address persistent challenges affecting Tanzania’s smallholder dairy farmers, including limited access to veterinary care, breeding services, quality fodder and agricultural extension support. Seasonal feed shortages and low adoption of productivity-enhancing technologies have also constrained milk production and farmers’ participation in formal markets.
Private Sector at the Centre
The AgResults competition will encourage private-sector companies to expand the availability and adoption of animal health, nutrition, breeding and fodder solutions among smallholder farmers.
Businesses operating in Mbeya, Iringa, Njombe and Morogoro will compete for prizes based on their verified delivery of eligible products and services.
Participants can earn rewards for verified sales of parasite-control products, vaccines and artificial insemination services, together with required advisory support. Businesses supplying improved fodder packages will also be eligible for prizes.
The programme will make prize payments quarterly, creating an incentive for participating businesses to reinvest in their operations, expand their customer base and reach more farmers over time.
28,000 Farmers Targeted
Over the two-year programme, the Tanzania Climate-Smart Dairy Prize Competition is expected to reach approximately 28,000 smallholder dairy farmers.
The initiative also aims to support the production of an additional 7,500 metric tons of fodder, helping farmers address seasonal feed shortages and improve the availability of quality nutrition for dairy cattle.
By expanding access to animal health, breeding, nutrition and advisory services, the programme seeks to increase milk production while strengthening farmers’ resilience and incomes.
The initiative is also expected to create stronger connections between farmers and private-sector businesses, supporting investment and long-term development across Tanzania’s dairy value chain.
Part of Global AgResults Initiative
The Tanzania competition is part of AgResults, a US$152 million collaborative initiative involving the governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, alongside the Gates Foundation and the World Bank Group.
AgResults uses Pay-for-Results prize competitions to encourage private-sector businesses to overcome market barriers and develop solutions that can create lasting improvements for smallholder farmers.
Through its results-based model, participants are rewarded when they achieve independently verified outcomes rather than simply completing planned activities.
For Tanzania’s dairy sector, the competition represents an effort to combine private-sector investment with measurable development outcomes. By encouraging businesses to expand access to critical dairy inputs and services, the programme aims to build a more productive, resilient and commercially connected dairy sector.