Tanzania has called for greater investment in women farmers, saying improving their access to land, finance, technology and markets could strengthen food security while also advancing human, animal and environmental health.
Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said women were at the centre of food production and household decisions on livestock, nutrition, water and natural resources, making their economic empowerment critical to the implementation of the One Health approach.
“Women are not at the margins of food and agricultural systems; they are at the centre of them. Empowering women is an investment not only in agriculture, but also in One Health,” Dr Nchemba said.
He was speaking on Monday, September 21, 2026, at a high-level session on the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, held at the Sheikh Zayed Centre at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.
The One Health approach recognises the close links between human health, animal health and the environment.
Dr Nchemba said despite their contribution to agriculture, women continued to face barriers to accessing productive resources, including land, finance, technology, extension services and markets, as well as limited opportunities to participate in decision-making.
He said the government was addressing some of these challenges through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme, which aims to create 1.6 million jobs by 2030, support 200,000 agribusinesses owned by young people and women and benefit about 10 million people in 12,000 villages.
By June 2026, TZS1.59 billion, equivalent to about $601,000, had been disbursed to 47 beneficiaries under the programme, with women accounting for 17 beneficiaries, or 36 percent.
The programme has also deployed 2,282 young extension officers in 22 regions, reaching about 765,600 smallholder farmers in 5,856 villages with agricultural advice and training on improved farming practices.
For rural women whose productivity is often affected by water shortages and climate shocks, Dr Nchemba said the government was investing in climate-resilient water infrastructure.
He said 395 solar-powered boreholes had so far been drilled in 234 villages across 45 districts.
The government is also seeking to increase women's participation in higher-value agricultural activities rather than leaving them concentrated in primary production.
Dr Nchemba said 408 young people and women had been trained in sisal value addition, with the programme intended to strengthen their participation in agricultural value chains and expand income opportunities.
The Prime Minister said the investments should ultimately help women become more active participants in production, business and decision-making.
“Women should not be seen merely as beneficiaries, but as producers, innovators, entrepreneurs and decision-makers,” he said.
He called for stronger policies and investment to expand women's access to land, finance, technology, water, extension services and markets.
Dr Nchemba also pledged Tanzania's cooperation with FAO and other partners to ensure that the International Year of the Woman Farmer produces results that continue beyond 2026.
Contributing to the discussion, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Director General Appolinaire Djikeng said women, particularly those involved in livestock keeping, already make important decisions affecting animal health, household nutrition, water safety and natural resources.
He said overlooking their role could weaken efforts to control diseases that pass between animals and humans.
Dr Djikeng said gender considerations should be integrated into One Health programmes from the planning stage rather than being treated as an additional component later.
He also called for adequate financial and human resources to enable women to participate meaningfully in leadership and decision-making.
The discussions in Rome come as countries and development partners mark 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, with attention focused on the contribution of women to food systems and the barriers that limit their productivity and economic participation.