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Africa



A CLIMATE-SMART REVOLUTION IS BREWING IN TANZANIA AND MAASAI WOMEN ARE
SPEARHEADING IT

In their response to climate change, women in Tanzania are changing age-old
gender roles by taking charge of cultivation and livelihoods

As cattle die and hunger looms, Maasai women are stepping into roles once
reserved for menKizito Makoye
Kizito Makoye


Published on: 
29 Aug 2024, 6:33 pm
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In the parched Mikese village, located in Tanzania’s eastern Mvomero district,
31-year-old Maria Naeku tends to her small vegetable garden under the scorching
sun. Her muddied hands, stained red from the soil, skillfully channel the
trickle of water through a maze of pipes, enabling vegetation from within the
soil. 

This humble  vegetable garden is more than just a plot of greenery; it’s the
area’s last lifeline where drought has shattered traditional livelihoods and
left the land barren.

“When the drought hit, our cattle died, and we couldn’t get milk for the
children,” said Naeku. 

“I knew I had to find a way to feed my family, so I started growing vegetables,”
she added. 

The notion of drip irrigation, a method where water is sparingly dripped
directly to the roots through a network of pipes, was alien to her. 

“I didn’t know if those small drops could really nourish the crops,” she says.
“But when I saw the green leaves sprouting from the soil, I knew we had a
future.”

Naeku quickly became adept at drip irrigation, and her success inspired other
women in her village to follow her lead. In a community where cattle have long
been the bedrock of wealth and security, the shift is seismic. 

With the erratic rains brought by an adversely changing climate, many Maasai are
turning to climate-smart farming practices as a means of survival. Women like
Naeku, once solely dependent on livestock, are at the forefront of this
transformation.


TRANSCENDING TRADITION

In Maasai culture, men have traditionally held the reins of decision-making,
especially when it comes to land and livestock. 

Women were expected to care for their families, with little say in how resources
were managed. 

But the devastating droughts that have swept through the region are radically
dismantling the old power dynamics. As cattle die and hunger looms, Maasai women
are stepping into roles once reserved for men, embracing climate-smart
agriculture as a vital alternative.

“We’re no longer just caretakers of our families,” says 34-year-old Nasarian
Lengai, a mother of five who has emerged as a local leader in horticulture
farming in Mikese. “We are decision-makers shaping the future of our community.”

Lengai was initially doubtful about organic farming. “When I first heard about
these methods, I didn’t think they’d work for us,” she confesses. “But after
seeing how much better my crops are now, I’m convinced this is the right path.”

For generations, the Maasai have depended on cattle for their
livelihood—providing milk, meat, and even blood. Shifting to farming is a
profound departure from their ancestral ways.

“We used to believe that having many cattle was the only way to maintain wealth
and security,” says Esuvat Joseph, who leads the Tupendane Maasai women’s group
in Mikese. “But now we understand that we need to adapt to drought. We’ve
learned to keep fewer cattle and focus more on farming.”

The Tupendane group has also adopted water conservation techniques, including
building ground reservoirs to capture rainwater. “This water is vital,” Joseph
explains. “We use it for irrigation when the rivers dry up.”


CLIMATE-SMART SOLUTIONS

There’s more to Maasai women’s adoption of climate-smart agriculture than a
knee-jerk reaction to the current crisis; it’s a blueprint for long-term
resilience.

Backed by Norwegian Church Aid, an international charitable organisation, these
women are learning to diversify their sources of income, reducing their
dependence on livestock and embracing sustainable horticulture.

“We’re teaching these women how to make the most of their small plots of land,”
says Oscar John, the program manager with Norwegian Church Aid. “By diversifying
their income, they’re less dependent on livestock, which is increasingly
vulnerable to drought.”

Conservation agriculture, a cornerstone of this initiative, promotes sustainable
farming techniques that enhance soil health and boost crop yields without
exhausting natural resources. For the women of Mvomero, this approach has been
transformative. They are learning to grow drought-resistant crops, rotate their
fields, and use organic fertilisers—all of which contribute to more bountiful
harvests.

As more women embrace climate-smart agriculture, the impact is spreading to more
and more villages with every passing day. Women who were once sceptical of these
new methods are now witnessing the success in Mvomero and are beginning to
implement these practices in their own drought-stricken lands.


EMPOWERMENT IN ACTION

The shift from livestock to crop farming has significantly altered the social
dynamics within the Maasai community. Women, once sidelined in decision-making
processes, are now leading the management of their families’ resources. This
newfound empowerment is improving their social and economic status while
challenging the patriarchal norms that have long defined their society. 

"We’ve always been made to believe that men are the decision-makers," Lengai
tells DTE. “But now we’re proving that women can lead too. We can take care of
our families and make better decisions.”

This empowerment is evident in the way the women of Mvomero approach their work.
They are tending to their crops and building a future where their voices are
heard, and their contributions are valued. For instance, the construction of
rainwater harvesting systems is a task these women have undertaken with pride.
“We don’t wait for our husbands to do it; we build these reservoirs ourselves,”
says Joseph. “It’s our way of showing that we can take care of ourselves.”

This shift in gender roles is being recognised by the men in the community, some
of whom are beginning to see the value in shared decision-making. While
resistance remains, the success of these women is slowly changing attitudes. As
the benefits of climate-smart agriculture become more apparent, more men are
joining their wives in these efforts, working together to secure a better future
for their families.


SAILING WITH THE WINDS OF CHANGE

In Mvomero, where cattle have long been the currency of life, the shift from
livestock to crop farming is no small feat. For generations, a man’s wealth was
measured by the size of his herd, and any departure from this tradition stirs
unease. 

“Some still resist,” Joseph says, “They view farming as beneath cattle herding.
But as more of us see success, perceptions are slowly changing.”

The path to fully embracing agriculture is a gradual one, and the women here
know that their progress is just the beginning. Challenges loom large—drought
remains an ever-present threat, and deep-rooted cultural norms continue to bind
them to traditional gender roles.

Yet, the women of Mvomero are undeterred. They understand that their efforts
extend beyond merely surviving this crisis—they are laying the groundwork for a
more promising future for their children. “We are planting the seeds of change,”
Naeku reflects. “Our daughters will grow up knowing they can be anything they
aspire to be. They’ll see that women can lead, innovate, and solve the problems
of their communities.”


LEADING THE WAY 

The quiet revolution led by the Maasai women of Mvomero is beginning to echo
across Tanzania’s parched landscape. Their success is catching the attention of
development organisations and government agencies, which are now considering how
to replicate this model in other drought-ravaged regions.

“We see this as a template that can be adapted nationwide,” says John. “The key
is to empower communities, especially women, to manage their resources and shape
their destinies. When people are equipped with the right tools and knowledge,
the possibilities are endless.”

As the women in these pastoral communities forge ahead, they are securing their
own future and set the stage for a just and resilient society. In Tanzania’s
Maasai steppe, where the future of pastoral life hangs in the balance, these
women are proving that with the right support, even the most marginalised people
can rise above their challenges and carve out better lives.

Tanzania
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