Dar es Salaam: Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) yesterday met with the Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Daniel Chongolo, in a strategic ...
engagement focused on strengthening local agricultural value chains, empowering farmers, and advancing Tanzania’s broader industrial and economic development.The SBL delegation was led by Board Chairman Paul Makanza and Managing Director Obinna Anyalebechi.
The Chairman reaffirmed SBL’s long-term commitment to supporting the Government’s agricultural transformation and industrialisation agenda through sustained private sector investment and partnership.
To this end, SBL’s officials updated the Minister on the company’s growing investment in local agriculture. In 2024, SBL sourced approximately 20,000 tonnes of grains locally, representing 80 percent of its annual raw material requirements.
This sustained local sourcing reduces reliance on imports while strengthening domestic supply chains and supporting Tanzanian farmers.
By integrating locally grown barley, maize, and sorghum into its brewing operations, SBL is helping to connect agriculture with manufacturing and advancing Tanzania’s broader industrialisation agenda. On average, the company contributes over TZS 15 billion annually to farmers within its agricultural supply chain.
SBL also highlighted its flagship agricultural empowerment programme, “Shamba ni Mali,” launched in 2025, to enhance farmer productivity and promote sustainable sourcing. Through the programme, the company works with more than 600 farmers cultivating barley, maize, and sorghum, providing access to agronomic training, inputs, and regenerative agriculture practices that improve soil health, increase yields, and support climate-smart farming.
The initiative is designed to be inclusive, actively supporting women farmers and people living with disabilities, ensuring agricultural growth benefits diverse communities.
Through its Kilimo Viwanda initiative, SBL is also investing in the next generation of agricultural professionals. The programme supports more than 300 young Tanzanians pursuing Diplomas in Agriculture, equipping them with practical skills and market access. Several graduates have already established farms and are now supplying raw materials directly to SBL, creating a circular ecosystem that links education, production, and market opportunity.
Beyond agriculture, SBL directly and indirectly employs more than 800 Tanzanians, while approximately 140,000 individuals benefit across its extended value chain nationwide.
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During the engagement, SBL’s Managing Director Obinna Anyalebechi emphasized: “Our work goes beyond brewing. Through initiatives such as Shamba ni Mali and Kilimo Viwanda, we are strengthening local agriculture, empowering farmers and young professionals, and building a resilient supply chain rooted in Tanzanian communities. By investing in local sourcing and farmer development, we are contributing to a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem that supports both industry and national economic growth.”
On his part, Minister of Agriculture, Daniel Chongolo, commended the company’s contribution, noting: “The Government welcomes strong private sector partners such as Serengeti Breweries Limited who are investing directly in Tanzanian farmers and youth.
Initiatives that promote local sourcing, skills development, and climate-smart agriculture are critical to advancing our national agricultural agenda. Continued collaboration between government and industry will be essential in unlocking the full potential of Tanzania’s agricultural sector.”
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration in areas of local production, youth empowerment, value addition, and sustainable agricultural development, reinforcing the role of public-private partnerships to Tanzania’s long-term economic transformation in line with the Tanzania Development Vision 2050.
Incorporated in 1988 as Associated Breweries, SBL is the second-largest beer company in Tanzania, with its beer brands accounting for over 25 percent of the market by volume. SBL has three operating plants in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Moshi.
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