When the rains came to Zanzibar earlier this year, farmers across Unguja and Pemba prepared their fields for planting. Agriculture here, like much of Tanzania, is heavily rain-fed—a fact that makes farmers highly vulnerable to the irregular rainfall patterns caused by climate change.
But this season, something remarkable happened. With support from the ZanzAdapt Project, thousands of improved tree seedlings—grown in women-led community nurseries—were transplanted into farms across the islands. For the first time, many communities did not have to rely on external sources for seedlings. They supplied themselves.
Resilience from the Ground Up
Two nurseries in Unguja, owned and run by women’s groups, produced and distributed over 25,000 seedlings this season. These included mango, cinnamon, citrus (lemon and orange), avocado, mahogany, almond, durian, and pine.
To meet the greatest need, 70% of the seedlings were delivered to Uzi and Ng’ambwa—areas where farmers face heightened climate risks and urgently require climate-smart solutions.
The nurseries have become more than places for growing trees; they are hubs of knowledge, leadership, and resilience.
Women at the Heart of Change
At the center of this effort are women like Mrs. Mwanaali, who manages one of the nurseries. Through ZanzAdapt, she received equipment, water infrastructure, seeds, and polythene for seedling bags—but more importantly, she acquired new skills.
She learned how to raise improved seedlings, apply modern nursery techniques, market her products, and manage finances.
“For me, the biggest asset is not just the tools,” she explains. “It is the skills I now have to grow, manage, and lead. These skills will stay with me and my community.”
Her words reflect ZanzAdapt’s broader vision: empowering women to lead environmental solutions. By equipping women with tools and training, the project is ensuring that the capacity to adapt to climate change rests within communities themselves.
From Seedlings to Sustainability
The trees now rooted in farmers’ fields represent far more than agricultural inputs. They symbolize food security, diversified incomes, and ecological restoration. Through agroforestry, farmers gain higher yields, improved soil fertility, and natural protection against erosion and pests.
What began as small nurseries has already grown into a system of resilience that will continue to benefit communities season after season.
From Seedlings to Sustainability
This planting season has proven one thing: resilience can be built from within. By strengthening community nurseries and supporting women to lead, ZanzAdapt is enabling farmers to secure their future in the face of climate change.
Together, these communities are not only planting trees—they are planting futures
