Lessons, experiences and future challenges of community - based seed production in Tanzania
1999
Mduruma, Z.O. (Selian Agricultural Research Institute, Arusha (Tanzania))
Quality seed is key to agricultural progressing due to the fact that production potential and other desirable characteristics of seed determine the upper limit in plant yield. Despite the presence of developed seed industry, in-crop developing countries a large proportion of seed planted is either saved by farmers from there own fields or exchanged on a farmer-to-farmer basis. In Tanzania, the introduction of economic reform changes in the 1980's led to liberalization of production and delivery system hence declaring import seed as a commercial commodity. However, there has been an inclination on the private sector to concentrate their efforts on seed types, which provide high profits, as well as catering mostly for the high potential areas of the country. Therefore, a large proportion of smallholder farmers use their own saved seed which are of low productivity capacity. Hence, Community -Based Seed production seeks to involve small-scale farmers as either individual, farmer groups, NGO, Cooperatives etc. by forming small but effective seed multiplication unit with the objective of producing and supplying improved quality seed at farm gate level. Two ongoing community-based seed production projects in eastern and northern Tanzania are used to explain experiences gained when working with farmer groups with special emphasis to women farmer groups. The government policies, methodologies and constraints of the projects will also be discussed so as to show the challenges of community-based seed production. An NGO, the Christian Council of Tanzania Directorate of Refugee an Emergency Services (CCT-RES) in collaboration with Research and Extension embarked o helping the small scale farmers to produce their own seeds through a sustainable Seed Multiplication Programme (SSMP) since 1996. The paper attempts to discuss the experiences and constraints encountered in the project to ensure sustainability of community based seed production. Lastly the paper focuses on challenges and factors which should be considered for a successful on-farm good production.
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