Tanzania wants prisons to grow their own food by 2030  

Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Daniel Sillo, told Parliament on May 14 that the government aims to stop relying on outside food suppliers for inmates.

According to him, the plan will be carried out by the Tanzania Prisons Service from the 2025/26 to 2029/30 financial years.

Sillo explained that the strategy is centred on expanding irrigation farming to boost food production inside prison facilities.

By June 2030, the government expects to produce over 46,000 tonnes of maize, more than 6,000 tonnes of rice, around 7,700 tonnes of beans, and 1,750 tonnes of cooking oil.

The move is part of wider efforts to cut costs, improve the well-being of prisoners, and reduce pressure on government food budgets.

He also said inmates will learn useful farming skills that could help them earn a living upon completion of their sentences.

The new strategy comes after concerns raised by MP Issa Mchungahela, who questioned why prisoners still depended heavily on government food support and what was being done to prepare them for life after prison.

Sillo further said the government’s goal is not only to feed inmates but also to turn prisons into centres of rehabilitation that can support the country’s economy.

The plan is expected to make prisons more sustainable and support reintegration by giving prisoners practical experience in farming and food production.