A Community of Practice on Gender and Agriculture in Tanzania

Women play a central role in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. However their contributions to agricultural productivity at the household, community and national levels are limited by a diverse range of social and economic constraints that vary by crop and local context. Overcoming gender-related barriers requires innovative and practical solutions informed by a context-specific understanding of “how to” initiate and sustain gender transformative change in agriculture.

To help foster a deeper understanding and application of gender integration, ICRW, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) implemented a pilot program to develop a community of practice among agriculture practitioners in Tanzania.  This forum provided a space for peers to share knowledge and experiences in addressing gender within their work, creating a sustainable platform for technical support, problem-solving and new ideas on gender and agriculture.

The community of practice, named Tanzania Gender and Agriculture Forum (TaGAF) by its members, was launched in March 2012 and is comprised of interested BMGF grantees, as well as other agriculture and gender practitioners and resource persons currently working in Tanzania.  TaGAF uses workshops, technical briefs and an online platform to facilitate interactions and peer learning and sharing.