CAWAT

Centre for the Advancement of Women in Agriculture in Tanzania

Technology and Innovation

We solicit, develop, promote and disseminate local, technological and innovative solutions that address the needs of farmers, with emphasis on needs of women farmers to reduce energy, labour and time expenditure. We address women’s needs with a view of allowing women to realize greater contribution to wealth creation in Tanzania and improve livelihoods, health and nutrition.

Leadership

We build and promote women’s leadership capacity through events and forums, and forming a grassroots movement for action. We assess the ways in which laws and government policies impact on women and their roles in agriculture and advocate for enabling environment policy changes for gender equality in agricultural sector. We foster gender-sensitive practices at all levels (institutions, government departments, industry, private sector and community).

Economic and Educational Empowerment

We campaign and advocate for economic, educational and social empowerment of girls and women in agriculture. We advocate for educational and agricultural development through but not limited to building, running and operating learning centres. We enter into any arrangements with any governments or authorities, supreme, municipal, local or otherwise, that may seem conducive to our objects, or any of them.

Innovation in Gender Equality (IGE) to Promote Household Food Security

Achievements of IGE over the past 5 years of its implementation

Component 1: Promote women-friendly agricultural technology

Component 2: Improve knowledge of communities on issues critical to women’s empowerment

Component 3: Raise awareness of communities on policies that promote gender equality

CAWAT beyond IGE program

Between August 2021 and January 2022, with a six month grant from Agricultural Marketing Trust Fund (AMDT), CAWAT tested linkages of Small Holder Farmers (SHFs) with Market Actors (MAs) in common beans aimed at increased productivity and quality harvests to meet market demands. In total, 6218 SHFs (51.8% men, 48.2% women, and 51.8% youth aged 35 years or below) were reached through various models tested, including enhancement of access to improved seed varieties, provision of extension services, provision of business development services and value addition models and functions.