The Problem

In Uganda, women farmers face significant challenges in agriculture despite their critical role. Over 90% of rural women work in agriculture and produce 90% of food crops, yet they own only 7% of the land. This limited land ownership restricts their access to resources like credit, technology, and extension services. Additionally, cultural norms often marginalize women from decision-making processes. For instance, while women contribute extensively to coffee production, men control 100% of the profits. These inequalities, combined with household responsibilities, limit women’s ability to benefit from commercial farming​.

Founding Story

Nyakato Moureen, the Founder and CEO of Fair Play for Women, grew up surrounded by strong women farmers—her mother and grandmother, both coffee farmers. From an early age, she witnessed the challenges that shaped the “low risk, low yield” mindset, which kept many women farmers trapped below the poverty line. There was a widespread belief that women farmers were meant to be poor and dependent on men.

As the eldest of five siblings, Moureen was deeply involved in farming tasks like sowing, weeding, and harvesting. She often felt disheartened by poor harvests and pest infestations after long hours of labor. Over time, she learned about seeds that could triple yields, fertilizers that enrich the soil, and chemicals that protect crops from pests. However, she realized that these vital resources were out of reach for most rural women farmers in Uganda.

Driven by this knowledge, Moureen founded Fair Play for Women to empower smallholder rural women farmers by giving them access to the resources they need to transform their lives, break free from limiting mindsets, and rise above the poverty line.