How mobile technologies are reducing gender inequities in Tanzania’s agrifood system
Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown
Precision agriculture technology and digital services are rapidly changing food systems around the world. Mobile phones allow once-isolated communities to connect to new information networks and markets. Such technologies can have large benefits in countries where agriculture employs the bulk of the workforce and access to finance is still limited.
Women are key players in the production of food and the direction of agrifood businesses, yet are often marginalized in decision-making. They stand to gain significantly from the equalizing capabilities of mobile platforms, provided that digital entrepreneurs and organizations seriously consider gender as they design programs and innovations.
Mobile phone technologies in Tanzania
Tanzania presents a compelling case for how mobile programs can improve women’s financial and decision-making power, reinforcing their roles in food systems. As of September 2019, the country had 43.7 million mobile phone subscriptions among a population of 59 million, a 4.7% increase from the previous year. Some 29 million people had internet access in June 2022, according to Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority data. Mobile money users comprise a similar rising share of the population.
One such program is a M-Pawa, a banking product introduced in 2014 by the Commercial Bank of Africa (Tanzania) (CBAT) and Vodacom via its M-Pesa mobile money service, which allows eligible users to save money, earn interest, and eventually obtain micro loans through their phones. This opportunity for personal savings and microcredit removes significant barriers to entry for unbanked individuals, households, and enterprises.
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