THE Ministry of Agriculture has announced plans to provide well-drilling subsidies to support low-income farmers use irrigation schemes in a move aimed at reducing dependency on unreliable rain-fed agriculture.

The initiative was unveiled in Dodoma recently by Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe during the handover of five vehicles to the Cooperative Audit and Supervision Corporation (COASCO), part of a broader effort to improve operational efficiency across the country.

Bashe said the government will cover the full cost of drilling wells for small-scale farmers in areas where agriculture is still dependent on rainfall. The goal, he explained, is to help the farmers’ transition to irrigation farming and increase productivity in food and cash crops.

“The programme will empower farmers to move away from traditional, rain-dependent farming practices that offer little economic security,” he said. “We aim to boost production and income levels, lifting more people out of poverty.”

He encouraged smallholder farmers to prepare for the shift toward irrigation, noting that the government is committed to supporting them through infrastructure and technical support.

On COASCO, Bashe said the five vehicles were part of a batch of 38 intended to enhance the agency’s field operations. 

“We believe this support will significantly improve COASCO’s performance. The government will continue providing essential tools to ensure effective audits and oversight of cooperative societies,” he said.

He also handed over drilling machinery to be used by the ministry and irrigation institutions to further expand irrigation capacity nationwide.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry Gerald Mweli noted that the new vehicles will improve COASCO’s efficiency and enable it to better serve cooperative societies. He recalled that the agency had been struggling, prompting Bashe to advocate for increased budgetary support to improve its work tools.

Mweli urged COASCO staff to remain dedicated to their duties in auditing cooperatives, which he said is essential for member welfare and national economic development.