By Martin Majambele, Esther Cheyo, Radegunda Kessy, Atupokile Mwakatwila, Justus Ochieng & Maximillian Saku
Beneath vast Tanzanian skies, where fields stretch like patchwork quilts of promise, a quiet revolution is taking root. It doesn’t shout—but whispers change with every turn of a wheel and every hand freed from the weight of tradition. Here, the rhythms of rural life are shifting, as women and youth step into a new era shaped by innovation and hope.
On March 8, 2025, as the world commemorated International Women’s Day, over 120 women from Simiyu and Singida gathered in Singida Town—not just to honor the moment, but to reshape their futures. With eyes full of purpose and hearts attuned to possibility, they came to explore new frontiers of empowerment. What they found was more than machinery, it was momentum. Access to modern agricultural tools opened doors to dignity, productivity, and economic freedom. This wasn’t just a gathering. It was the spark of something greater: a movement led by women, rooted in resilience, and bound for transformation
At the center of the event was a simple but powerful innovation: the Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT), a game-changing machine that threshes, shells, and winnows up to nine different crops, including maize, beans, sorghum, millet, sunflower, and green grams. Developed by Imara Tech and introduced through partnerships with Helvetas Tanzania and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT through Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), the MCT is designed to dramatically reduce labor drudgery, cut post-harvest losses, improve grain quality, and create jobs for women and youth.
Mr. Hosman Ndesamburo of Imara Tech demonstrated the MCT’s capabilities by threshing green grams, capturing the attention and curiosity of attendees. “Can this machine work with other crops? Is training available?” participants asked. The answer was a resounding yes. Not only can the machines be customized to meet specific crop needs, but hands-on training is also provided to ensure users can confidently operate and maintain them.
Frames 2 and 3: Power in motion: Hosman Ndesamburo demonstrates the Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT) in action, capturing the attention of participants in Singida with a glimpse into the future of efficient, women-led farming.
Leadership and local commitment
The event was honored by the presence of Hon. Godwin Gondwe, Singida District Commissioner, representing the Regional Commissioner. He applauded the initiative, highlighting how the MCT machines are reducing the time women spend on labor-intensive threshing, thus freeing them to pursue other income-generating activities and improving their overall productivity.
In a symbolic gesture of progress, the Regional Commissioner awarded two MCT machines to local women’s groups—marking a new chapter for their economic and social empowerment.
“These machines will not only save time but also ensure better quality grain and reduced post-harvest losses. That’s a direct boost to incomes and livelihoods,” Commissioner Gondwe emphasized.
Beyond machinery: A movement for change
The initiative is part of the UKIJANI Project, led by Helvetas, which aims to empower communities in Simiyu and Singida through sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and economic development. Working in tandem with CIAT’s “Scaling Multi-Crop Thresher Machines for Empowerment of Women and Youth” project, the effort brings modern agricultural technologies to the people who need them most—those too often overlooked in the development equation.
The MCT’s impact goes beyond the field. By reducing the physical burden of threshing and improving marketable yields, it allows women and youth to diversify their enterprises, increase earnings, and gain the confidence to take on leadership roles in their communities.
A future in their hands
As songs of celebration and voices of hope echoed across Singida, the message was clear: with the right tools and the right support, rural women and youth are not just beneficiaries—they are drivers of Tanzania’s agricultural transformation. Mechanization is not just about machines, it’s about opportunity, dignity, and choice. And in Singida and Simiyu, those choices are changing lives.
Read related story and explore the impact: 👉 Empowering Women and Youth with Multi-Crop Thresher Machines in Tanzania
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Frame 1: Eyes on innovation: some participating women participants watch with excitement and curiosity as the Multi-Crop Thresher – Photos by Martin Majambele