In the cashew-growing regions of southern Tanzania, a quiet revolution is underway. Women, who have long performed the majority of farm labour while receiving a minority of the income, are now leading cooperatives, managing processing units, and negotiating directly with exporters.
At the centre of this transformation is Korosho Group's Women in Cashew initiative, which has directly supported over 2,800 women farmers and processors since its launch in 2020.
The programme provides a comprehensive package: access to affordable credit through partner microfinance institutions, business skills training, digital literacy, and mentorship from successful women agribusiness leaders.
"Before Korosho, I would sell my raw nuts at the farm gate and get whatever price the middleman offered," said Zainabu Rashid, a cooperative chairperson from Mtwara. "Now I understand grading, I know international prices, and I negotiate with confidence."
The results are measurable: participant women report an average 58% increase in cashew income within two seasons of joining the programme, and cooperative governance scores have improved significantly across all partner groups.