In the dry, wind‑swept plains of Dodoma, Tanzania, farming has long been viewed as a test of endurance, an unpredictable balance of effort, weather and hope. For many, it is a last resort. But for Edwina Aloyce Rubondo, it has become something entirely different: a pathway to leadership, enterprise and transformation.

What makes her story compelling is not where she started, but what she started without.

Edwina has never held formal employment. No office. No salary. No structured career path. Yet today, she is a respected horticultural farmer, cultivating hot peppers, sweet peppers and tomatoes with precision and consistency. More than that, she has become a reference point for over 500 farmers in her community, who are learning from her practices and working towards achieving similar results.

Her journey has not been built on luck or inherited advantage. It has been built on something far more powerful: access to the right knowledge at the right time.

Before encountering the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) programme, Edwina’s experience mirrored that of many young farmers across Tanzania, hard work without structure. She farmed without a clear understanding of the science or systems required to improve productivity. Decisions were based on guesswork, tradition and trial and error, resulting in inconsistent outcomes.

Everything changed when she was introduced to the structured pathways offered by YEFFA.

Through training and mentorship, Edwina began to understand agriculture not merely as an activity, but as a system. She learned how to analyse weather patterns
and align planting seasons accordingly. Soil health shifted from an abstract concept to a measurable factor that determines yield. She gained practical knowledge on
selecting appropriate seed varieties, spacing crops for optimal growth, and applying fertiliser in precise quantities rather than relying on approximation.

Irrigation, once a limitation, became an advantage. By adopting drip irrigation, she moved from irregular watering to controlled and efficient water use, ensuring each plant received exactly what it needed. Pest management, often a major source of losses, became a structured process she could manage with confidence.

Even the layout of her farm reflects strategic thinking. In a region known for strong winds, Edwina planted banana trees not only for fruit, but as natural windbreaks to protect crops such as sweet peppers. It is a clear example of how knowledge, when applied correctly, can solve practical challenges.

Through this process, Edwina came to realise that farming itself is not inherently difficult; the real challenge lies in practising agriculture without the right knowledge. This marked a turning point in her journey.

Knowledge stopped being merely supportive and became foundational. It replaced uncertainty with clarity and directed her efforts towards measurable outcomes. In
many ways, it became her most important form of capital.

As her confidence grew, so did her ambition.

Today, Edwina does more than manage a productive farm, she actively creates opportunities for others. She employs 10 young people on a permanent basis,
providing stable and reliable income in a sector where such opportunities are often limited. During peak planting and harvesting periods, her farm becomes a centre of activity, engaging more than 300 casual workers.

This impact is intentional. Edwina understands the value of dignified work and is deliberate about ensuring the people she employs are fairly compensated. Her
approach reflects a shift from survival to responsibility, from working for oneself to building something that sustains many.

Through YEFFA, Edwina’s transformation extended beyond production. She was also connected to reliable markets, a critical yet often‑missing link that determines whether farming remains subsistence‑based or develops into a viable business.

Today, she supplies produce to established buyers including DABAGA and Hussein Gonga, an aggregator who exports to international markets. These connections have redefined her operations. She now produces with purpose, aligning her output to market demand, quality standards and timing. Knowledge is visible not only in how she farms, but also in how she positions herself within the agricultural value chain.

Her financial results reflect this shift. On just half an acre of tomatoes, Edwina invested approximately TZS 7 million and generated around TZS 21 million in revenue. Even after accounting for input costs, labour and operational expenses, the profit margin remains significant.

What stands out most is her understanding of the role knowledge plays in financial success. She recognises that capital alone is insufficient without the skills and insight to manage it effectively, while knowledge has the power to multiply value and safeguard investment.

For Edwina, agriculture has gone far beyond income generation; it has reshaped her life.

Together with her husband, she has invested in rental shops to create additional income streams beyond farming. They have acquired vehicles to support their
agricultural operations, improving efficiency and mobility. Her farm is no longer just a site of production – it is the foundation of a broader and growing enterprise.

Most importantly, it is a place of influence.

Farmers visit to learn. Young people come seeking opportunity. Edwina’s work now extends far beyond her own success, contributing to the growth and resilience of her community. Her story challenges long‑held perceptions that agriculture is inherently difficult, unprofitable or limiting. Instead, it demonstrates that the real constraint often lies not in the sector itself, but in access to the right knowledge and pathways.

When farmers lack this access, agriculture becomes unpredictable. When clear pathways are absent, effort becomes scattered. Edwina’s journey shows what becomes possible when knowledge and opportunity come together – and how one individual’s transformation can enable the progress of hundreds of others.

In Chekereni, a quiet village in Moshi District, Kilimanjaro, Zainabu Juma’s phone rarely rests. Orders come in. Farmers ask questions. New customers appear, most of who she has never met before. What she could consider normal at the moment was not a while ago.

Zainabu Juma is a young agripreneur and a Village-Based Advisor (VBA) who runs a small agro-input shop. Her journey into agriculture was not smooth. She had tried farming herself, but like many young people, she struggled due limited information, uncertain markets, and low returns. Even when she shifted into selling agricultural inputs, growth was slow, and her shop remained quiet.

“I was already in agriculture, but I didn’t have direction,” she says. “Even when I opened my agrovet shop, I couldn’t grow it. I reached a point where I almost gave up.”

Her turning point came when she was introduced to the YEFFA program (Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture) through the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA). What she found was more than training. It was a shift in mindset, a new way of seeing agriculture not as survival, but as a business. Through YEFFA, Zainabu was connected to a digital ecosystem developed by BizyTech. Using the Kilimo BaNDO platform, she began operating differently, smarter, faster, and more connected than ever before.

Today, much of her work happens through her mobile phone. She advises farmers on seeds and crop protection products, connects with customers across regions, and receives orders digitally.

“I now work with farmers I don’t even know,” she explains. “Through the system, I guide them on seeds and pesticides, and we do business.” “What changed was not just access to tools, but access to networks. Through the platform, she became visible beyond her village. Farmers from regions like Iringa and Morogoro now place orders through her, expanding her reach far beyond what her small shop could have allowed. Within a short period, her sales increased by 25%.

“After joining the system, my sales went up very fast,” she says. “I started receiving orders from outside my region. That’s when I knew this is real business.”

Zainabu’s story reflects a deeper transformation taking place across Tanzania. Agriculture is no longer confined to the farm; it is becoming a connected, and data-driven ecosystem where information, markets, and finance are accessible through digital platforms.

Through tools like Kilimo BaNDO, farmers receive real-time advisory services, access financial products such as savings and loans, insure their crops against climate risks, and connect directly to markets without relying heavily on intermediaries.

For young people, this shift is redefining what agriculture means. A sector once seen as outdated and physically demanding is now increasingly digital, efficient, and full of opportunities. By meeting youth where they already are, on their phones, technology is pulling agriculture into the modern economy.

“This is what changed everything for me,” Zainabu reflects. “Everything I need is in my phone. I can learn, connect, and sell without leaving my shop.”

As a VBA, she is now more than a shop owner. She is a connector linking farmers to inputs, knowledge, and markets. Her business supports not only her own income but also the productivity of farmers around her. In this role, she represents a new generation of agripreneurs who are building businesses across the agricultural value chain. Through programs like YEFFA, supported by digital innovation from BizyTech, young people like Zainabu are moving beyond participation in agriculture to ownership and leadership within it. They are not waiting for opportunities they are creating them.

And in villages like Chekereni, what once looked like a struggling agrovet shop has now morphed into something bigger, a digital hub, powered by technology, driven by youth, and connected to a future where agriculture is not just viable, but transformative.

In the fast-growing city of Dodoma, where movement never slows and opportunity often hides in plain sight, a small but striking shop is quietly changing the narrative of agriculture.

Set between a fuel station, busy ATM points, and everyday commerce, MAMA HEALTH ORGANIC SHOP stands with quiet confidence. Its shelves carry more than products; they carry a story of resilience, reinvention, and what becomes possible when young people are given the right pathways.

At the centre of it all is Aslatu Nguku, a 30-year-old agripreneur whose journey reflects a deeper shift taking place across Tanzania’s agricultural landscape. But her story did not begin here.

Before the shop, before the brand, before the customers, there was frustration.

Aslatu had been navigating agriculture like many young people do: with effort, but without direction. She watched as fruits and vegetables spoiled before reaching markets. She saw value disappearing in real time.

“I used to see farmers losing so much after harvest. It was painful because you know the effort that goes into producing that food,” she recalls. “That’s when I started asking myself, what if we don’t let it go to waste?”

That question would change everything.

Instead of seeing loss, she began to see potential. Instead of accepting the system as it was, she began to imagine what it could become.

Her turning point came through the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) program, an initiative designed to unlock opportunities for young people across agricultural value chains.

“I didn’t just learn skills. I was exposed to a whole system people, institutions, markets. That’s what changed my mindset,” she says.

Through YEFFA, she was linked to the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA), where she gained practical, hands-on training in value addition and food processing. What had once been perishable became preservable. What had once been wasted became valuable.

Among her early creations was a product that would soon define her brand: DRY VEGI-FRUIT BISCUITS, a naturally flavored, nutritious, and made without added sugar. “They started as an idea in my kitchen. Today, they are one of my best selling products,” she says.

As her confidence grew, so did her exposure. Through YEFFA, she participated in the Nane Nane International Agricultural Exhibition, where she showcased her products and connected with a wider network of stakeholders. She also attended the JUAKALI Exhibition in Nairobi, expanding her knowledge and seeing firsthand how small enterprises can scale across borders.

Behind her steady rise was a strong system of support. Through connections facilitated by YEFFA, she accessed the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), where she obtained her first food dryer allowing her to increase production and maintain quality. Her products were standardized, branded, and fitted with barcodes, opening doors to formal markets.

Through Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), she secured the shop space she now operates from along with initial support to cover rent. What once seemed out of reach became real.

Today, her business is structured, visible, and growing. Using a motorbike, she distributes her products across Dodoma, serving customers who value both health and convenience. What began as a personal hustle has evolved into a small but impactful enterprise.

“I started this alone. Now I have a team one permanent person in the shop and seven other casual labors supporting sourcing and processing. This is how agriculture creates jobs,” she says.

Her transformation is not only economic it is deeply personal. She has purchased land and is preparing to build her own home. Her products are now reaching markets beyond Tanzania, including Kenya.

When she reflects on her journey, the contrast is clear.

“Before, my future felt uncertain. Today, I see progress. And tomorrow, I see possibility.” But perhaps the most powerful part of her story is not what she has achieved it is what she wants to build for others.

“My dream is to support at least 200 young women to become entrepreneurs like me. YEFFA was my stepping stone, I want to be that stepping stone for others.”

In a city where many are still searching for opportunity, Aslatu has become proof that it can be created. Not from abundance. But from seeing value where others see loss.

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.