Amaranth – a new crop becomes a turning point for women in Zanzibar

More women in Zanzibar are becoming engaged in vegetable production. This gives them more food for their families, generates cash income, and gives them added respect and self-confidence with recognition of their newfound farming skills.

Mariam Salim with amaranth grain that she is about to harvest from her vegetable field

Through the AID-I (Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative) project on Zanzibar Island, WorldVeg is promoting home gardening among women, with over 500 participants actively engaged in cultivating vegetables. By introducing a variety of vegetable varieties to the Island, these women have not only increased the availability of quality vegetables but have also attracted customers, thereby contributing to the local economy.

Moreover, the project’s emphasis on home gardening has had a broader impact on household nutrition and food security. By cultivating their own vegetables, these women are not only accessing nutritious food for their families but also generating income through the sale of surplus produce. Their efforts are playing a critical role in promoting vegetable consumption among households, ultimately contributing to improved health and well-being within the community.

One of them is Mariam Salim, from Mjini Ole village on Pemba Island, in Tanzania’s Zanzibar archipelago. She and 272 other farmers attended a three-day training course conducted by the World Vegetable Center, part of the AID-I (Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative) project, funded by USAID through CIMMYT. By introducing good agricultural practices with a focus on vegetable production, WorldVeg equipped Mariam with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance her agricultural productivity and livelihood.

Apart from training, WorldVeg also provided farmers with seed kits containing eight varieties of nutritious and versatile traditional African vegetables that contribute to food security and improved nutrition within the community, including varieties of African eggplant, African nightshade, amaranth, cowpea, and Ethiopian mustard. This allowed them to diversify the crops they were growing, eating, and selling.

Mariam’s realization during the training was that growing grain amaranth for seed production marked a significant turning point in her agricultural journey, as she narrates. “I discovered that I could produce my own seeds and amaranth flour, which opened up new opportunities for me to take control of my farming practices and increase my self-sufficiency.”

Seed production is a crucial aspect of sustainable agriculture, as it allows farmers like Mariam to save costs, maintain crop diversity, and adapt to changing environmental conditions. By venturing into seed production, Mariam not only gained a new valuable skill but also contributed to the conservation and propagation of important crop varieties within her community.

This ‘light bulb moment’ highlights the transformative power of education and knowledge-sharing initiatives. By providing farmers with information about seed production and the potential of crops like grain amaranth, WorldVeg empowered Mariam to become more self-reliant and innovative in her farming practices. Mariam’s description of her seed production process highlights her dedication to agricultural innovation and community health. “It takes three months to be able to harvest seeds, so I must be patient and committed to nurturing healthy crops. I must also be precise in caring for the seeds through harvesting, drying, tapping, and sifting.”

Her initiative to sell seeds to other farmers not only provides her with a new source of income, but also supports the broader agricultural community by facilitating access to quality seeds. In the past months, Mariam harvested about 150 kg of seeds that she sold to people in her community for TZS 15,000 (US$3) per kg, so making a very useful US$450 for her family!

To add value to her seeds, Mariam decided to grind them into amaranth flour, that is used as a dietary supplement, offering essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals to the most vulnerable groups. “I have three different sizes of flour packets: a kilogram, half a kilo, and 250 grams. I sell one kilo for TZS 15,000 (US$6), half a kilo for TZS 7,500 (US$ 3), and 250 grams for TZS 5,000 (US$2). I supplied them to offices, and some people are directed to my home.” explained Mariam. She’s now running a small-scale flour distribution business, likely catering to individuals and small businesses.

By promoting the consumption of this nutritious powder, Mariam is also contributing to the health and wellbeing of her community, particularly during critical life stages and among those with specific nutritional requirements, such as pregnant mothers, children, and the elderly.

And being the first woman in her village to undertake such an endeavor required determination, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Mariam’s initiative is now inspiring other women in her community to explore new farming and food processing opportunities, further empowering them economically and socially. Through the AIDI project on Zanzibar Island, more than 500 women have started cultivating home gardening to access quality vegetables for home consumption and business as they introduced varieties of vegetables to their local markets that attract their customers. They are playing a critical role in increasing vegetable consumption among households.

Kisuma Mapunda, Regional Communications Officer,
World Vegetable Center – Eastern and Southern Africa, Arusha, Tanzania.
April 2024

This project is part of the Southern Africa Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID¬I) Rapid Delivery Hub, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is implemented by the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), with key support from the revolutionary government of Zanzibar (RGoZ) and local partners Zanzibar Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), Zanzibar broadcasting corporation (ZBC), Zanzibar Economic Empowerment Authority (ZEEA), Practical Permaculture Institute of Zanzibar (PPIZ), and Milele Zanzibar Foundation.