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Tanzania's seed supply and distribution system relies on a combination of formal (public and private) and informal (community-based) systems, which together struggle to meet demand due to inadequate production, thin distribution networks, and poor rural infrastructure. The government is implementing strategies like the "Agenda 10/30" to boost production, achieve seed self-sufficiency by 2030, and increase productivity, but challenges like poor road quality and unpredictable market demand persist, notes this CGIAR article.
Formal seed systems
Public and private sectors: This system is market-oriented and involves both government and private companies.
Key actors: Major private sector players include Meru Agro Ltd, SeedCo, and Namburi Agricultural Company Ltd.
Challenges: Distribution for improved seeds like Uyole 04 and certain SeedCo varieties is limited to specific regions due to distribution constraints.
Government initiatives: The government is supporting local producers, aiming for Tanzania to become a net seed exporter and investing in a strategy to achieve seed self-sufficiency by 2030.
Informal and community seed systems
Farmer-led: A large portion of farmers, especially for crops like legumes, millets, cassava, and sweet potatoes, rely on informal systems like saving their own seeds and local grain markets.
Challenges: The dominance of informal systems is often due to the limited availability of quality, certified seeds.
Quality Declared Seeds (QDS): Projects are supporting community-based groups to produce QDS for common beans and groundnuts to improve quality standards.
