Tanzanian Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has highlighted the importance of empowering women farmers in advancing the One Health approach. He made these remarks at a high-level session on the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, held at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy. Women play a central role in food production, livestock keeping, nutrition, animal health, food security, and environmental conservation.
Dr. Mwigulu noted that women are not at the margins of food and agricultural systems but are at the center of them. Empowering women is an investment not only in agriculture but also in One Health. Tanzania, under President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country's first female president, recognizes the significant role women play in food production and agricultural development. Despite their contributions, women face challenges such as limited access to land, finance, technology, and decision-making opportunities.
The Tanzanian government is empowering women and young people through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) program. The program aims to create 1.6 million jobs, support 200,000 youth- and women-owned agribusinesses, and benefit approximately 10 million people across 12,000 villages by 2030. By June 2026, 1.59 billion Tanzanian shillings (approximately $601,000) had been disbursed to 47 beneficiaries, with 36% being women.
The BBT program has deployed 2,282 young agricultural extension officers across 22 regions, reaching approximately 765,600 smallholder farmers in 5,856 villages. These officers provide advisory services and training on good agricultural practices. The government is also investing in water projects and climate change adaptation measures, including drilling 395 solar-powered boreholes in 234 villages across 45 districts.
The government is supporting women and young people to participate in higher-value activities across agricultural value chains. For instance, 408 women and young people received training in sisal value addition, aiming to increase their participation in agricultural value chains and expand income-generating opportunities. Dr. Mwigulu stressed that investing in women is not only an investment in agriculture but also in One Health.
Dr. Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), shared his experience during the panel discussion. He noted that women, particularly women livestock keepers, play a critical role in implementing the One Health approach. Women make daily decisions concerning livestock health, water safety, household nutrition, and the use of natural resources.
Dr. Djikeng emphasized the importance of allocating adequate resources to enable women to participate fully in leadership and decision-making on matters related to health, livestock, agriculture, and food systems. Tanzania is ready to work with FAO and other stakeholders to ensure that the International Year of the Woman Farmer delivers tangible and lasting outcomes beyond 2026.
Key points
- Empowering women farmers is critical for advancing the One Health approach.
- The Tanzanian government is investing in initiatives to support women and young people in agriculture.
- Women play a central role in food production, livestock keeping, nutrition, animal health, food security, and environmental conservation.
