In Lubungo village in Mvomero District, agriculture has long been shaped by both promise and challenges. Fertile soils support crop production, but poor road infrastructure – especially during the rainy season – makes it difficult for farmers to access markets and maximise returns.

Within this environment, Marcelina Lubuva, a 30-year-old agripreneur and owner of Azimio Farm, is demonstrating what becomes possible when determination is matched with the right support.

Today, her farm spans 10 acres, supplies produce beyond Tanzania’s borders and creates employment opportunities in her community. Yet her journey began with uncertainty and limited knowledge of how to turn farming into a viable business.

“I was farming, but I did not fully understand what I was doing. I did not know the right practices, and I was unsure whether agriculture could truly change my life,” she recalls.

Like many young farmers, Marcelina faced barriers that are often unseen. Successful farming requires technical knowledge, financial planning, and alignment with market demand. Without these foundations, productivity gains remain limited and income unpredictable.

Access to finance further constrained her growth. Without a structured business model or proven production record, formal financial institutions remained out of reach, reinforcing the perception of agriculture as a high-risk livelihood.

This began to change when Marcelina joined the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) programme. Through training and mentorship provided by implementing partners, she gained practical skills in modern farming practices and began to approach agriculture as a strategic enterprise.

“With YEFFA, I started to understand that farming is not about guessing. It is about knowledge, planning, and doing things the right way,” she explains.

Through programme linkages, Marcelina connected with financial institutions such as CRDB Bank and Equity Bank, enabling her to access capital to expand her operations. Improved market connections also helped her transition from localised sales to more consistent and larger-scale production planning.

Exposure visits to countries including South Africa and Germany further broadened her perspective, showing how agriculture can be professionally managed and scaled. As her confidence grew, so did her ambitions. She expanded her farm from four to ten acres and diversified production from green bell peppers to include tomatoes, hot peppers, bitter tomatoes and sweet melon, reducing risk while responding to market opportunities.

Today, Azimio Farm employs four permanent workers and twelve casual labourers, contributing directly to livelihoods in the local community. During peak seasons, Marcelina can harvest up to 80 bags of green peppers in a single week, with each bag selling for approximately 80,000 Tanzanian shillings. These gains reflect improved productivity driven by better agronomic knowledge and stronger business planning.

A major milestone came when she secured an international buyer for her sweet melon through support linked to YEFFA implementing partner SUGECO. Accessing export markets marked a significant shift for a farmer who once questioned whether agriculture could sustain her even locally.

Income generated from farming has enabled Marcelina to diversify her investments, including opening a hardware business and acquiring additional land. These steps are strengthening her long-term financial stability and positioning her as a growing rural entrepreneur.

Despite this progress, systemic challenges remain. Poor rural infrastructure continues to affect transport efficiency and profitability, particularly during the rainy season. “These are real challenges we face daily. But agriculture is something you commit to, learn from, and grow with,” she says.

A Story of Youth Potential in Africa’s Food Systems

Marcelina’s journey illustrates the impact of targeted youth support in agriculture. With the right combination of technical training, financial inclusion and market linkages, young agripreneurs can build sustainable enterprises that generate employment, income and stronger food systems.

Her story reflects a broader shift across Africa’s agrifood sector – where agriculture is increasingly becoming a pathway to entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusive economic growth. In Lubungo, through Marcelina’s vision and persistence, that future is already taking shape.