Tanseed boosts small farmer yields

Agri-Business 

Monday, May 12, 2014 

BY KENAN  KALAGHO

EAST AFRICAN BUSINESS WEEK, KAMPALA, UGANDA

CERTIFIED: Mashaka said about five small holder farmers are currently producing seeds at Kilombero farms in Morogoro, Photo BY Kenan Kalagho).

MOROGORO, Tanzania - Tanseed International, a local seed production company, is helping small scale farmers produce 12 million tons of certified rice and maize seeds annually.
The venture would make available seeds to more than 1.26 million small holder farmers while also creating awareness to another five million in the next five years.
This is part of the new alliance for food security and nutrition that was launched in London during 2012.
Tanseed provides quality but low priced seeds and ensures that more farmers get value for money for their agricultural products.
Speaking with the Bioscience for farming in Africa (B4FA) fellowship journalists last week in Morogoro, Tanseed International Managing Director,  Isaka Mashaka said they are training and working with small scale farmers to allow them access to good quality seed production to farmers.
Mashaka said about five small holder farmers are currently producing seeds at Kilombero farms in Morogoro, where at least 250 tons of seeds are being produced on 16 acres of land at Dakawa in Morogoro.
“We train farmers on how best to grow maize and rice for seeds. Later we buy these seeds from them at a competitive price which gives them more income than if they were to embark on cultivating the same crops for food,” Mashaka said.
He said besides producing drought tolerant varieties, they also collaborate with both local and international researchers on how best to solve farmers’ problems resulting from Climate Change.
According to Nasibu Katoto, a small scale farmer at Kilombero farms, he has been able to benefit from a contract with Tanseed by selling up to $60.70  (about Tsh100,000) for every 90 kilogramme of rice seeds that are being produced as opposed to the usual price of $18.20 (Tsh30,000) at the local market.
Katoto said through Dakawa Small Holder Farmers Association commonly known as WAWAKUDA, they have been able to sell quality seeds to Tanseed and improve their livelihoods, including building themselves good homes.
He said 15 years ago when they just started their Association, they weren’t benefiting much because they were selling food produce until after they received training and started producing seeds for Tanseed in 2012.
“Growing seeds for sale pays a lump sum than previously when we were growing food crops, because we are assured of the market,” Katoto told East African Business Week.
He said WAWAKUDA members have also attained different training at the Kilimanjaro Agriculture Training Centre in Moshi to help them produce quality seeds for farmers.