• TUI Field to Fork Tanzania aims to train 2,700 entrepreneurs - 80% women - in regenerative agriculture, business skills, and climate resilience
• The initiative strengthens links between women-led farms and the tourism sector in Kilimanjaro, promoting agritourism and sustainable sourcing

Berlin, 31 July 2025. Despite the Serengeti ecosystem attracting nearly a million tourists annually, over half of the local population in surrounding regions lives below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day. Rural communities in Simiyu and Kilimanjaro face mounting challenges: degraded soil, changing weather patterns, and crop destruction by wildlife. Women are disproportionately affected, often lacking access to education, assets, and opportunities to earn a stable income.

TUI Field to Fork Tanzania addresses these challenges by empowering women through sustainable agriculture and tourism. The project promotes gender equality, economic development and environmental conservation - ultimately improving the livelihoods of marginalised women and their communities.

In the Simiyu region, families rely on smallholder farming for income, but climate change-related drought is driving down yields and threatening livelihoods. To address this, Hand in Hand International is leading efforts to transform rural economies by training 2,700 local entrepreneurs across 16 villages, 80% of whom are women.

Over the course of twelve months, participants receive training in regenerative farming, climate resilience and business skills including enterprise development and financial management. In addition, the programme will support the creation or expansion of 1,890 microenterprises and generate an estimated 2,475 jobs.

The project focuses on high-potential value chains including sunflower processing, beekeeping and poultry farming. A key component is the formation of self-help groups, which foster peer learning, savings and collective marketing. These groups empower women to access credit, share knowledge and build sustainable businesses.

By unlocking financial resources and expanding market access, the programme aims to boost incomes by over 80%, strengthen climate resilience and spark a wave of prosperity across entire communities.

In the Kilimanjaro region, Equality in Tourism is collaborating with the Kilimanjaro Women Information Exchange and Community Organization (KWIECO) to empower women-led farming groups through partnerships with the hospitality sector to promote economic diversification and reduce poverty. The project supports women in Namwai and Kimashuku to build sustainable enterprises that supply hotels and tour operators with locally grown produce.  It will establish partnerships with the tourism stakeholders and provide training to hotel staff on the value of sourcing products from local women farmers, fostering long-term partnerships.

A member-led demonstration farm will be established, with a green house, drip irrigation, and water tanks to combat drought and climate change. Women from marginalised communities will receive hands-on training in climate-resilient farming techniques. The project also develops a unique “field to fork” tourism experience, offering immersive farm tours and promoting authentic local culture. Nestled at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, these experiences allow visitors to connect with Tanzania’s rich agricultural traditions and community life.

The project is part of the global TUI Field to Fork programme, which enables sustainable food production by establishing links with the tourism sector to create better income opportunities in rural communities in destinations like Greece, Cape Verde, Colombia, Portugal and Cyprus.