Addressing Sorghum seed shortage: TARI and TOSCI empower farmers in Mwanza
MWANZA: The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), in partnership with the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), has conducted a training program aimed at addressing the sorghum seed shortage in the Lake and Western zones.
The training, which targeted 35 seed-producing farmers from Mwanza, Shinyanga, Tabora, Simiyu, and Mara regions, focused on modern seed production techniques, regulations, and market strategies.
The three-day training, held from October 7-9, 2024, at the Ukiriguru Research Center in Mwanza, was part of the ACCELERATED and AVISA projects implemented by TARI in collaboration with CIMMYT, CIAT, and TOSCI.
Speaking on Wednesday, TARI’s National Sorghum Research Coordinator Mr Emmanuel Mwenda, , highlighted the importance of scaling up the use of high-quality seeds that have been developed through extensive research.
“Our goal is to increase the uptake of these improved sorghum varieties, which have proven to deliver better yields compared to the traditional seeds commonly used by many farmers,” he said.
He stressed the urgency of producing sufficient quantities of these seeds to meet the growing demand in the Lake and Western regions.
“There is a pressing need for sorghum seeds in these areas, and this training is a crucial step towards addressing that gap,” he added.
Mr Mwenda noted that the Lake and Western zones are experiencing a high demand for sorghum seeds, and the training would help in addressing it while, improving farmers’ productivity and boosting yields.
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On his part, TOSCI Lake Zone Inspector, Mr Evance Kaganda, explained that, in addition to educating farmers on the legal and procedural requirements for producing certified seeds, TOSCI will conduct regular inspections of their fields to ensure compliance with seed quality standards.
“Farmers must register their fields when they begin production, and we will inspect these fields two to three times to verify quality. After harvesting, we’ll collect samples for testing in our TOSCI laboratories and provide feedback on the quality of the seeds,” Kaganda said.
Farmers who participated in the training praised the initiative, highlighting how it opened their eyes to new opportunities in the seed production business.
They also expressed optimism about applying the knowledge they had gained to improve their farming practices.
The training initiative is expected to contribute significantly to overcoming the sorghum seed shortage and improving overall agricultural productivity in the region.
