Canada injects CA$20M in empowering Tanzanian women and youth to embrace ‘smart agriculture’

The Canadian government through Global Affairs Canada has injected CA$20 million in empowering the youth and women drawn from some three regions in Tanzania to adopt ‘smart agriculture’ and combat the consequences of climate change.

Under ‘Her Resilience, Our Planet’ project, the groups will be enabled to adapt, mitigate, and transition to renewable energy, according to Ahmed Hussen, Canadian Minister of International Development.

“This project will reach over 175,000 smallholder farmers, particularly women, to deal with the effects of climate change in the agricultural sector,” said Hussen during the launch of the project last week at Mkuranga District in the Coast Region.

The ambitious six-year project will be coordinated in the country by Care Tanzania, working in collaboration with five other partners: WWF, SAGCOT, TGNP Mtandao, Shahidi wa Maji, and the Conservation Farming Unit.

Hussen said that women and youth are among the groups most affected by climate change. Consequently, Canada has released funds to help them “adapt, mitigate, and transition to renewable energy.”

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr. David Silinde, expressed gratitude to the government of Canada for the grant. He highlighted that the project aimed at supporting Tanzanian smallholder farmers underscores the robust partnership between the two nations.

He further emphasized that the project arrives at a crucial juncture as Tanzania advances various agricultural initiatives aimed at addressing food security challenges both within Africa and globally.

The Deputy Minister highlighted Tanzania’s ongoing implementation of Building Better Tomorrow (BBT), which involves graduates. This initiative closely aligns with the ambitious and innovative project, Her Resilience, Our Planet, in many aspects. The project is anticipated to uplift women and youth economically while also contributing to environmental conservation efforts.

Additionally, Coast Regional Commissioner Abubakar Kunenge emphasized Tanzania’s focus on maximizing the value chain within the agricultural sector. Consequently, he expressed that the project’s timing couldn’t be more opportune.

The project will be executed within the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) clusters, encompassing Iringa, Kilolo, Wanging’ombe, Mufindi, and Mbarali districts. These regions are interconnected with the Ruaha Basin.