The state-owned Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) has recently sponsored and facilitated a financial literacy and loan management program for a group of 45 women involved in horticulture from the Dar es Salaam-based collective, Women of Hope Alive.
The announcement was made by Ms. Angelina Nyansambo, the Senior Business Development Officer of TADB during the training session over the weekend. She stated that this program is a part of the bank's larger goal to bolster and empower women who constitute 50 percent of the total agricultural workforce.
"Women are at the heart of Tanzania's agricultural transformation strategy," Nyansambo affirmed, referring to the nation's newly-launched Agenda 10/30 strategy, which is focused on amplifying the sector's growth to 10 percent annually by 2030.
Ms. Ummy Mmary, the Chairperson of Discipline and Constitution at Women of Hope Alive, expressed her gratitude to TADB for sponsoring and facilitating this beneficial training. She emphasized that such initiatives can enhance women's contributions to the agricultural sector.
"With the right empowerment, women's impact on agriculture can lead to a rise in household income, improved livelihoods, and significant economic empowerment at village, district, regional, and national levels," Mmary said.
The training program covered key financial concepts including budgeting, saving, and investing. Participants were engaged through a series of informative presentations, interactive discussions, and group activities. They were also equipped with practical advice on how to evaluate financial services and manage personal finances more effectively.
The end goal is to empower women to make informed financial decisions and support the growth of their agribusinesses. This program is part of a larger effort by TADB which, since September of the previous year, has provided financial literacy training across nine regions, benefiting around 950 farmers to date.