Dedicated loan facility gives experienced farmers and Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) youth farmers a next step to commercial-scale farming, powered by USA patented solar irrigation technology that frees farms from dependence on seasonal rainfall

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA – Dronlytics Technologies Tanzania Limited and Azania Bank Plc today announced a dedicated agricultural loan facility for small-scale farmers, including farmer youth, participating in the Dronlytics Block Farm Program in Morogoro. The facility advances a strategic partnership formalized earlier this year with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and builds on the Government’s Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiative for Agribusiness (BBT-YIA) by giving youth who have gained hands-on farming experience a pathway to farm at commercial scale. The first farmer youths are expected to join the program in the first quarter of 2027.

The partnership brings together Azania Bank’s agricultural financing capability and Dronlytics’ integrated approach to modernizing small-scale farming, anchored by a USA patented irrigation system that Dronlytics is bringing to Tanzania.

Building on the BBT Program

The Ministry of Agriculture’s BBT-YIA program trains and places young Tanzanians in agribusiness as part of the national Agenda 10/30. The Dronlytics Block Farm Program is designed as the next step for BBT youth and other young farmers with at least 12 months of farming experience who are ready to grow beyond their first plots. The program has received project support approval from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Because the program is vertically integrated from seed to end market,integrated mechanization and centralized agricultural services allow participating farmers to manage larger farms while focusing more of their effort on business management and commercial development.

Patented Irrigation Technology: From One Harvest a Year to Three

At the core of the program is a proven, USA patented irrigation system, which turns one rain-fed harvest a year into up to three. By delivering water precisely where and when crops need it, the solar-powered system frees production from dependence on seasonal rainfall and supports a rotation of rice and soybean throughout the year.

Already in commercial use on farms in the United States, the system incorporates a University of Arkansas patented tailwater recovery design that captures and reuses water and inputs on the field, so none runs off into local streams and rivers. Its results are backed by independent research: a three-year study by the University of Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center found that the tailwater recovery system reduced water use by an average of 67% and fertilizer use by 30%, with minimal impact on yield. Drier, precisely watered fields also release less methane than permanently flooded paddies.

Rather than holding this technology centrally, Dronlytics is sharing it directly with Tanzanian farmers, who purchase and own their irrigation systems with the support of Azania Bank financing and Dronlytics’ longterm warranty commitment. The system is complemented by drone scouting and Dronlytics’ technology platform, which pairs field-level data with satellite information to track crop, soil and water conditions, bringing precision agriculture within reach of smallholders.

How the Block Farm Program Works

The program gives farmer youths the opportunity to farm productively and at scale, with infrastructure, services and market access often beyond the reach of individual smallholders. Farmers lease land from Dronlytics on a long-term basis, entering at 4, 6 or 10 acres with the opportunity to expand as Dronlytics grows. Year-round irrigation allows farmers to follow a planned rice-soybean-rice rotation, producing up to three harvests a year, with Dronlytics purchasing both farmed crops at harvest.

Dronlytics’ target is to generate approximately 5x the net income of a comparable single-cycle rain-fed rice farming model, creating a pathway for small-scale farmers to build income, assets and greater financial security, while the soybean rotation supports a national agricultural priority, improves soil health and breaks pest and disease cycles.

“We are changing what farming means for the youth in Tanzania. By putting technology in their hands and enabling up to three harvests a year, we are turning farming from a last resort into a business worth building. At our target of 50,000 acres, we have the potential to empower up to 12,500 youth farmers, benefit approximately 50,000 household members, and create significant additional employment throughout the agricultural value chain. We want Tanzania’s youth to choose agriculture, not settle for it.” Anthony Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Dronlytics Technologies Tanzania Limited

Connecting Farmers to Markets

The program is complemented by an offtake agreement with Wilmar Rice Tanzania Limited, part of Fortune Global 500 company Wilmar International, providing a direct link between organized farm production and Tanzania’s rice value chain.

“A reliable and scalable supply of quality paddy is critical to Tanzania’s rice industry. Dronlytics’ model of organized production and structured farmer engagement gives us confidence in the consistency and quality of supply, particularly as the program grows.” Mr. Vinod Kumar, General Manager, Wilmar Rice

A Partnership Built for Scale

Dronlytics is targeting the development of 50,000 acres within five years, with each new block farm allowing qualifying farmers to expand while bringing new farmer youths into the program. Azania Bank’s financing provides the foundation for this expansion and for the economic empowerment of Tanzania’s small-scale farmer youths.

“We see the Dronlytics Block Farm Program as a strong example of how agricultural finance can support farmer youth empowerment and transformation by connecting youth to productive assets, organized farming and market access. This structured loan facility reflects our commitment to supporting commercially viable agriculture while participating in a model designed to make smallholder agricultural financing more scalable and manageable.” Mr. Augustino Matutu, Head of Agribusiness, Azania Bank Plc

The Dronlytics-Azania Bank partnership complements the Government’s BBT-YIA program, making productive agriculture a pathway to stronger household incomes, food security, rural employment and financial inclusion while protecting Tanzania’s land, water and natural environment.