By Habitat Media Reporter
Dar es Salaam. Fourteen clients of the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) involved in the maize and rice value chains are heading to Japan on October 5, 2026 to learn how advanced technologies can improve agricultural production, processing, storage and value addition.
The clients will participate in J-AGRI Tokyo, one of Asia’s major agricultural technology exhibitions, where they are expected to engage directly with manufacturers, technology providers and other industry players.
Their visit will expose them to modern farming machinery, precision agriculture, smart farming technologies, irrigation systems, post-harvest technologies, processing and value-addition equipment, cold-chain systems and other innovations that could improve efficiency and competitiveness when adapted to Tanzania.
The focus on maize and rice is significant because the two crops are among Tanzania’s most consumed food and commercial crops and play a key role in the country’s food security, according to TADB Managing Director Frank Nyabundege.
He then noted that the delegation comprises clients operating at different stages of the agricultural value chain, including crop processing and value addition, warehousing, produce aggregation, farm machinery, agricultural inputs and irrigation. Collectively, they have accessed more than Sh62 billion in financing from TADB.
Mr Nyabundege said the Japan programme demonstrates the bank’s commitment to going beyond providing financing by equipping its clients with knowledge, technology and business opportunities that can help them improve their operations.
He said the initiative is part of activities marking Customer Service Week 2026, whose theme, “The Extra Mile,” reflects the bank’s commitment to ensuring that its services translate into tangible results for borrowers.
“Customer service does not end with providing money. We want to ensure that financing is accompanied by knowledge, technology, skills and opportunities that enable our clients to grow and increase productivity,” Mr Nyabundege said.
He said the Japan visit would give the clients an opportunity to see agricultural technologies in practice, interact directly with manufacturers and identify solutions that could be applied to their businesses.
The initiative also complements TADB’s partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aimed at promoting the adoption of agricultural technologies in Tanzania.
Mr Nyabundege said the exposure would help clients identify appropriate technologies for improving production, processing, storage and value addition, while creating potential business relationships with international technology suppliers.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Kamal Simba, a farmer from Zanzibar, thanked TADB for providing the opportunity, saying the experience would broaden their understanding of modern agricultural technologies.
“We are going with open ears and open minds to learn more and return with knowledge and experience that we can put into practice,” Mr Simba said.
The Japan programme follows TADB’s domestic knowledge-sharing initiatives, through which more than 830 farmers have previously been supported to learn from their counterparts in different parts of Tanzania.
The bank expects the delegation to return with practical knowledge, technology options and business contacts that can strengthen their operations and increase the impact of TADB financing across the agricultural value chain.