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