The United States Government has announced a $12 million funding package to support Tanzanian youth in the agriculture sector. The funding will be utilized for the Feed the Future (FtF) – Private Sector Strengthening Activity (PSSA) program that will provide business loans, training in essential business skills, and assistance in finding customers to young entrepreneurs.
Ambassador Michael A. Battle and the USAID/Tanzania Mission Director V. Kate Somvongsiri made the announcement during the launch events of PSSA in Zanzibar and Dodoma. The initiative will also ensure fair and equitable administration of government business regulations to support young entrepreneurs.
Helping youth in Tanzania
The program aims to reach 30,000 young people, enhance business support services for 6,000 youth-led enterprises, offer financial services to over 3,000 young people, and establish ten new policies to stimulate economic opportunities for youth and facilitate expansion into new markets.
The program will be targeting Tanzania’s SAGCOT regions of Iringa, Mbeya, Morogoro, and the Unguja and Pemba regions of Zanzibar. The grants will be awarded on an open, competitive basis to private sector associations, organizations, and lead firms working to improve the business enabling environment and expand economic opportunities for youth.
Partnership with the Tanzanian government and private sector
During the PSSA launch in Dodoma, USAID/Tanzania Mission Director Kate Somvongsiri said, “Feed the Future Tanzania Private Sector Strengthening Activity prioritizes investing in youth. By working together with private sector associations and aligning with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Building a Better Tomorrow, we can support the implementation of policies that help youth overcome barriers to their economic empowerment. PSSA can only achieve its goals in partnership with the Tanzanian government and private sector partners across the country.”
The Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr. Hussein Omari, Ministry of Agriculture officiating at the event in Dodoma said “I see opportunities for collaboration between PSSA and our Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiative for Agribusiness program. The Government of Tanzania is fully committed to working with this activity to support youth in the private sector and promote local and international investment.”
The funding will undoubtedly provide a boost to Tanzania’s economy. The support for young entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector will help to create new jobs, expand economic opportunities, and promote local and international investment in the country. The partnership between the Tanzanian government, private sector, and the United States will help Tanzania’s youth to succeed in the agriculture sector.
