Nearly 90 years.
One commitment.
Our smallholder farmers.
TFA works at the centre of Tanzania’s agricultural system, improving how smallholder farmers are reached, supported, and connected to opportunity.
Through our network, infrastructure, and long-standing relationships, we help farmers access the inputs, knowledge, and markets they need to improve productivity and livelihoods.
When farmers perform better, the wider system strengthens. Driving economic growth, more resilient communities, and better food security.
TFA provides a practical and proven channel for partners to place capital and capability, with a clear path to impact at scale.
Who We Are
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Tanzania's farming system won't improve through competition. It will improve through collaboration. TFA is the platform that makes that possible — connecting smallholder farmers to the partners, knowledge, markets, and infrastructure they need to thrive. We don't duplicate what works. We bring it together, in one trusted place, built around the people who need it most.
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IUstawi wa Mkulima — Farmer Flourishing We measure success by whether smallholder farmers are earning more, living better, and working with dignity.
Mfumo Imara — A Stronger System We build economic and environmental resilience into everything we do — because a fragile system serves no one.
Urithi — Legacy We are stewards of Tanzania's land and water, making decisions today that protect what future generations will depend on.
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The Tanganyika Farmers’ Association (TFA) was established in 1935 to support farmers across what was then Tanganyika, now Tanzania. Originally operating as part of the Kenya Farmers’ Association, TFA became an independent organisation in 1955 and quickly grew into one of the country’s most important agricultural institutions.
Over the decades, TFA played a central role in supporting both smallholder and large-scale farmers by providing agricultural inputs, storage infrastructure, market access, and farming support services. In the 1960s, the Tanzanian government partnered closely with TFA due to its strong infrastructure, nationwide reach, and trusted farmer relationships. This significantly expanded TFA’s role and influence within the agricultural sector.
TFA’s history has also been shaped by major political and economic changes in Tanzania. Following the Arusha Declaration and later nationalisation policies, many TFA assets and farming operations were confiscated or heavily restricted. Liberalisation in the 1980s brought new private competition into the market, forcing TFA to adapt and reposition itself within a rapidly changing agricultural economy.
Despite these challenges, TFA remained resilient. The organisation rebuilt its operations, expanded its branch network, and diversified into commercial property development to strengthen long-term financial sustainability. One of its major developments, the TFA Arusha Mall, has become a significant commercial centre within the region.
Today, TFA serves more than 4,800 members and operates across key agricultural regions in Tanzania. With nearly 90 years of history, TFA remains deeply embedded in Tanzania’s agricultural system and is now focused on helping smallholder farmers create more value from their land through stronger partnerships, better systems, and improved access to knowledge, markets, and opportunities.
TFA Management Team
TFA Board