Three years after Haryana began a push for investment opportunities in Tanzania, with regular visits by official and private delegations, the state government has started identifying nearly one lakh acres in the East African country for its farmers to pursue agricultural ventures.
A senior Haryana government officer told The Indian Express that after identifying land that can be acquired by the state’s farmers, “we will verify documentation with the authorities so that they do not face difficulties”. “We also plan to sign an MoU with the Tanzanian government to formalise this cooperation,” the officer said, marking the Haryana government’s first overseas initiative undertaken at such a large scale.
On Wednesday, Haryana Foreign Cooperation Minister Rao Narbir Singh chaired a meeting with potential investors keen to explore opportunities in Tanzania and other African countries.
The fertile soil and climatic conditions in Tanzania, as well as cheap availability of land, are the reasons for Haryana zooming in on the country. Tanzania’s location along the Indian Ocean offers direct maritime routes to India and global markets, making agricultural exports more viable.
Somveer Ghasola from Bhiwani district is among Haryana farmers who have already begun leasing land in Tanzania.
Ghasola, who has acquired 65 acres on a 99‑year lease for equivalent of Rs 1.5 crore, points out the striking contrast in land prices. “In Haryana, an acre of land can cost between Rs 25 lakh and over Rs 1 crore depending on location,” says the 58-year-old.
Yogesh Sharma, a chartered accountant from Haryana, who has acquired 160 acres of land in Morogoro, Tanzania, at his farm; his mother inspecting his fields (Express photo)
Officials say the idea to explore options in Tanzania originated with Manohar Lal Khattar as Chief Minister, with his government giving the slogan “Go Global”. Following that, Haryana established the dedicated ‘Department of Foreign Cooperation’ to strengthen international partnerships.
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Since Tanzania was identified as a lucrative destination, delegations of Haryana officials and interested investors have visited the country regularly. Like Khattar, his successor as CM, Nayab Singh Saini, has been holding meetings with Tanzanian officials and stakeholders for large‑scale farming opportunities.
Earlier this year, a Haryana-Africa Strategic Partnership Meeting was organized at Surajkund in Faridabad.
Ghasola, who fought the 2024 Assembly elections as an Independent from Badhra incidentally and lost, earlier set up a mining business near Tanzania’s capital Dodoma. He bought the 65 acres he owns in 2025 for warehousing initially, he says. “The land lies along a national highway that connects four to five neighbouring countries. (I realised then) The land here is very fertile and offers immense opportunities for farming.”
Emphasising the math again, Ghasola says: “Depending on quality, land can be leased for Rs 25,000-Rs 50,000 per acre for 99 years, whereas in Haryana, a farmer pays around Rs 50,000 just for a one‑year contract. This means that with an investment of Rs 50 lakh, a farmer can lease 100 acres and cultivate crops with good irrigation facilities.”
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Among the crops Ghasola has identified as suited for the land are maize, rice, sugarcane, and horticultural crops, and says “the quality of cashew nuts is unmatched”. “With Haryana farmers’ expertise in mechanized farming, irrigation, and high‑yield seeds, productivity can be significantly enhanced.”
Another Haryana entrepreneur who has invested in Tanzania is Shiv Kumar Kamboj, who has acquired a 20‑acre factory site. Kamboj, who is from Yamunanagar district, purchased a core veneer factory from a Chinese national in September 2025, with nearly 50 employees.
“We process eucalyptus wood into core veneer (the inner layer providing strength and stability to engineered wood panels). Despite challenges during the rainy season from December to April, we have already supplied nearly 1,500 tonnes,” he says.
Officials also believe that if a large number of Haryana farmers begin farming in Tanzania, it will boost exports of agricultural equipment from Haryana.
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Addressing delegates from African countries during an event in New Delhi in March this year, CM Saini said that Haryana’s relationship with Africa goes beyond “business to business” and is truly “heart to heart”.
He has also highlighted the potential for joint farming, training programmes and technical partnerships not only with Tanzania but also with Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. “Region‑specific industrial and agriculture‑based partnerships can be developed… There is significant scope for collaboration in automobiles, healthcare, IT, construction, skill development, startups, fintech, and MSME sectors,” Saini said at the Surajkund meeting.
Next up, Narbir Singh said, a Haryana government delegation will visit Tanzania for seven days starting July 5 to participate in the 50th Dar-es-Salaam International Trade Fair. Representatives from farming, trade, IT and pharmaceutical industries will be a part of the delegation.
