Tanzania, April 8 -- Moshi. Rice is a key staple food in Tanzania, grown primarily in Mbeya, Morogoro, Shinyanga, Mwanza, and some sections of the Kilimanjaro region.

Paddy cultivation, despite its reliance on rainfall, is the principal source of income for the majority of smallholder farmers, particularly women.

In Kilimanjaro, the areas of Chekereni, Mabogini and parts of the Same District are renowned for their extensive cultivation of paddy rice, leading to significant improvements in the livelihoods of numerous women farmers.

To mark International Women's Day (IWD), The Citizen features the amazing success story of Monica Paul Kilombe, a 55-year-old native of Chekereni in Moshi, Kilimanjaro, who has built a reputation for herself ...