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Published on
10.02.25
Tanzania is building sustainable cassava-seed systems for high-quality seed through cassava seed entrepreneurs. However, women are often shut out of such business opportunities due to their lack of land, capital, and social norms that limit their mobility and literacy.
A project designed to consider women’s needs has overcome some barriers by modifying the selection requirements for cassava seed entrepreneurs (CSEs) and providing targeted support.
Saada Mkuyu – a 47-year-old farmer from Ulasa, Urambo district, Tabora region – is among the farmers who received knowledge, extension support, and cassava seeds as start-up capital from the project to become a CSE.
“My cassava seed business has changed my life; it makes me walk confidently,” she said. “I can provide for my family with food and household needs from my cassava ‘shop’ [farm],” she added with a big smile.
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) collaborated with the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), and Cornell University to work on the Muhogo Bora project.
IITA gender researcher in cassava Dr Millicent Liani, said that the modified CSE requirements focused on enhancing gender responsiveness in the project by improving the ‘reach’ of women and other disadvantaged groups. The new requirements have been implemented in 19 districts across four regions of Tanzania’s Western and central zones.