The history of the Ministry of Agriculture shows that its establishment was a result of the expansion of the work of the Department of Agriculture, which was founded in 1895 and later came to be known as the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in order to also include the Forestry Sector.

In 1934, the Kizimbani Agricultural Research Station was opened because the location was found to have a favorable climate, with elevation and uniform soil. The purpose of the station at that time was to carry out research on cash crops, especially cloves, to increase production of the crop, as well as to raise coconut seedlings. The colonial government believed that Zanzibar could not be self-sufficient in food, and thus traders were given the opportunity to buy cloves, mbata (breadfruit), and wild pepper for export in order to import food.

Cloves were the main economic crop most relied upon. However, the danger of depending on a single crop for the economy became evident, and the importance of researching other cash crops began as early as 1860. The crops studied at that time included rubber, vanilla, cocoa, coffee, tea, wild pepper, and sugarcane. Many of these crops did not show promise in raising Zanzibar’s economy. Between 1950 and 1960, research continued on other crops such as spices, limes, ylang-ylang, citronella, and cotton. Despite these efforts, cloves have remained the most commercially dependable crop.

Expert reports show that the first clove tree was planted in Unguja in 1818, brought from Reunion Islands as a gift to the Sultan of the time. After it was observed that cloves thrived, they began to be developed and widely planted in Unguja and Pemba, as reported by Mr. Martin (1990). By 1990, a total area of 36,736 hectares had been planted with cloves, of which 28,041 hectares were in Pemba. At that time, Zanzibar had an estimated 2.8 million clove trees, 82% of which were on the western side of Pemba. As reported by Mr. Tidbury (1949), cloves have a four-cycle production system: every four years there is one large harvest, two medium harvests in between, and one small harvest. This situation is influenced by climatic changes, the fertility rate of each season, and the care given to the clove trees after harvests.

Immediately after the Revolution, the Ministry’s name was changed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Distribution. In 1988, the name was changed again to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources, in order to give weight to the livestock sector. Furthermore, the Ministry continued to change names according to emerging priorities. In 2010, during the Seventh Phase Government of the Government of National Unity, it was named the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This process of renaming continued, and in 2015 it was renamed the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock, and Fisheries. Finally, in 2020, during the Eighth Phase Government, the name was changed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources, and Livestock — which is the current name.