Poultry

Between 2010 and 2022, Tanzania's cattle, goat, sheep, and poultry populations surged by an average of 83%, positioning chickens among Africa's top ten national flocks and anchoring poultry as a priority commodity in the country's Agriculture Master Plan 2050.

Poultry sits at the intersection of Tanzania's livestock economy and its agricultural commercialisation agenda.

Chickens are one of the livestock groups whose aggregate value—together with cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs—reached TZS 33.22 trillion in 2024/2025, up from TZS 30.49 trillion in 2023/2024.

The sector is explicitly named as a prioritised commodity for accelerated commercial development, alongside wheat, soybeans, aquaculture, and fertilizer, reflecting strong policy intent to scale domestic production, processing, and exports.

Poultry in Tanzania's Livestock Landscape

Tanzania ranks among the top African countries in chicken population size, with most of its livestock groups placing in the continent's top ten.

Per capita, Tanzania's total livestock population is among the largest in Africa, providing a deep base of smallholder and commercial poultry activity.

Between 2010 and 2022, the populations of cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry surged by an average of 83%, with cattle more than doubling over the same period.

This long-run growth has reinforced poultry's role as a core component of rural livelihoods and a strategic commodity for food security and protein supply.

Sector Value and Recent Performance

The total value of all livestock groups in Tanzania—cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens—reached TZS 33.22 trillion in 2024/2025.

This was up from TZS 30.49 trillion in 2023/2024, indicating an expanding asset base across poultry and other livestock categories.

Meat exports more broadly recorded growth of 5.75% in 2024/2025 compared to the previous year, reaching 9,863.41 tonnes valued at USD 44.07 million, up from 9,326.3 tonnes worth USD 39.3 million in 2023/2024.

Although goat meat dominated exports at 64.69% of the total, the expanding meat export footprint across 11 countries—Bahrain, Comoros, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Vietnam—signals growing international market access that poultry processors can leverage.

Policy Framework and Master Plan Priorities

Poultry is formally listed as a prioritised commodity under Tanzania's Agriculture Master Plan 2050, which sets out a national agenda for agricultural transformation through 2050.

Agriculture Master Plan 2050 Targets

The Master Plan commits to accelerate the development of commercial activities of priority commodities, including wheat, soybeans, poultry, aquaculture, and fertilizer.

Cross-cutting targets that benefit poultry value chains include doubling extension service coverage, providing access to financing for 1.7 million beneficiaries in groups and 30,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, and scaling upstream and downstream market linkages for more than 2 million smallholders.

The plan also targets a tenfold increase in processing of specific commodities through warehouse and market-linkage development, and lifting regional and international exports to USD 6 billion.

Digital registration of 9.9 million farmers and stakeholders will support traceability and formalisation across poultry farms and processors.

Ministerial Investment Priorities

One of the core priorities of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries for both the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 budgets is encouraging investment in the Livestock and Fisheries Sectors.

Specific investment areas actively pursued include Livestock Breeding, Poultry and Meat Processing, Fodder Production, Processed Feeds, Dairy Transformation, Leather Processing, and Vaccine Production.

This dual budget-cycle continuity provides a stable policy signal for investors considering medium-term poultry projects.

Agriculture Growth Corridor Alignment

To accelerate implementation of the Agriculture Master Plan 2050, the Ministry of Agriculture introduced the Agriculture Growth Corridor of Tanzania (AGCOT) initiative in 2025.

The corridor framework anchors poultry alongside other prioritised commodities such as red meat, dairy, fodder, and aquaculture within an integrated commercial development pipeline.

Investment Opportunities Along the Poultry Value Chain

Poultry and Meat Processing is explicitly named as a Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries priority area for investment in both the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 budgets.

Complementary upstream opportunities include Livestock Breeding to upgrade flock genetics and productivity.

Feed-side opportunities span Fodder Production and Processed Feeds, which are critical input segments for scaling commercial poultry operations.

Animal health investment is also encouraged through Vaccine Production, addressing one of the binding constraints to flock expansion and export-grade biosecurity.

Export Market Outlook

While goat meat currently dominates Tanzania's meat export mix at 64.69%, the broader meat export base grew 5.75% year-on-year in 2024/2025.

Meat markets have expanded to 11 countries spanning the Gulf, East Africa, and Asia, including Bahrain, Comoros, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Vietnam.

The Agriculture Master Plan 2050 target of lifting regional and international exports to USD 6 billion, combined with a tenfold increase in commodity processing, frames a clear pathway for processed poultry products to capture a larger share of this export footprint.

Smallholder Integration and Financing

Under the Agriculture Master Plan 2050, scaling upstream and downstream market linkages for more than 2 million smallholders directly benefits poultry producers, who are predominantly small-scale.

Access to financing will be expanded to 1.7 million beneficiaries in groups and 30,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, opening capital channels for poultry farm expansion, hatcheries, and feed mills.

Doubling extension service coverage and digitally registering 9.9 million farmers will improve productivity, disease management, and traceability across the poultry value chain.

Last Update: May 2026

References

1. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/3ae63843-d8c3-4708-8947-24faf928ec88/content (Guide reference #68)
2. https://www.mifugouvuvi.go.tz/uploads/documents/en-1756496407-Sera%20ya%20Taifa%20ya%20Uchumi%20wa%20Buluu%20ya%20Mwaka%202024.pdf (Guide reference #69)
3. https://www.fao.org/4/t0473e/T0473E09.htm (Guide reference #73)