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One of Tanzania’s most popular reality shows is very different from what you would expect. It is not about singers, dancers, chefs, or models competing for a contract. Nor is it about a lonely bachelor or bachelorette looking for love. Instead, the popular reality series stars hardworking female farmers simply looking to make a difference in their communities.
Female Food Heroes
The show is named Mama Shujaa wa Chakula, or Female Food Heroes, and it draws an audience of more than half of the country’s 45 million population. The viewers tune into the show through television, the internet, radio recaps, and newspaper articles. The newest season is set to shoot for three weeks in August. The premise is that 18 women in a village share farming techniques, attend training sessions, and compete in challenges. The winner of the series is selected from a combination of viewers’ votes and a panel of judges. She will win 20 million Tanzanian shillings (about $9,500), along with farming and fishing equipment.
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Drawing Attention To Inequality
The popular series is bringing attention to an important issue in the country – farms that are worked by women are often less successful than the ones managed by men. It is harder for the female farmers to secure land rights. They also have unequal access to resources and laborers. This issue goes beyond Tanzania; it happens all across Africa. Even though nearly half of the agricultural workers in the continent are women, they still face the discrimination. Women make up 75 percent of Tanzania’s farmers and they often live in poverty with their contributions overlooked. Studies show that the unequal treatment makes the country’s farms less productive. In Tanzania alone, female farmers produce 14 percent less than the male farmers in the country. This hurts everyone in the nation, both male and female. If women did not face this discrimination, agricultural yields would increase by up to 30 percent, and feed 150 million more people daily.
They Are Local Celebrities
The show is gaining popularity fast. The first season received 6000 applications. Out of those, 11 finalists were chosen for their contribution to agriculture and their community. Then 10,000 Tanzanians voted for their favorite. These women’s remarkable stories touched the country.
While there can only be one official winner, each contestant wins in her own way. Participants gain respect and notoriety for their work. The show’s popularity turns them into celebrities in their communities. This gives them the platform and a voice to make change in their country. Past contestants on the show have even gone on to attend global conferences on women’s rights, manage their own stores, and sit on normally male-dominated local councils.
SEE ALSO: A Woman Is Saving Ghana’s Widows From Enduring Humiliation.
