Government, seed industry urge maize farmers to verify seeds before planting

MWANZA: THE Government of Tanzania, together with seed industry stakeholders, has urged maize farmers to verify the authenticity of seeds before planting to protect themselves from counterfeit and substandard products that can significantly reduce yields and cause financial losses.

The appeal was made on Tuesday in Mwanza during the launch of “DEKALB Mafanikio Shambani,” a four-month nationwide campaign aimed at educating farmers on the importance of purchasing certified maize seeds and increasing awareness of improved hybrid seed varieties suited to different farming conditions.

Speaking at the event, officials encouraged farmers to ensure the seeds they purchase have been inspected and certified by the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), the national authority responsible for regulating seed quality and ensuring that seeds sold to farmers meet established standards.

The campaign comes at a time when maize remains the backbone of Tanzania’s formal seed sector. According to TOSCI, maize accounted for approximately 93 percent of all certified seeds available in the country during the 2025/26 season, highlighting the crop’s critical role in both the seed industry and national food security.

Bayer Life Science Tanzania Managing Director Mwinyi Sango said climate change has intensified the challenges facing smallholder farmers, making the choice of high-quality, climate-appropriate seed more important than ever.

“Smallholder farmers bear the greatest burden of climate change and unpredictable weather patterns across Africa. As an organization that recognizes food security as an important component of national security, we are promoting the use of certified seeds that can help farmers increase yields while contributing to sustainable agriculture,” Sango said.

He added that seed quality—including germination potential, genetic purity and suitability for specific growing conditions—is essential to ensuring farmers obtain maximum returns from their investment.

“You do not need to plant several maize seeds in one hole just to be certain that something will germinate. All you need is one quality seed, planted correctly, and we assure you it will germinate,” he said.

According to TOSCI, the formal seed system currently supplies about 40 percent of the seeds used in Tanzania, while 45 percent come from the informal seed system and the remaining 15 percent from the Quality Declared Seed (QDS) system.

A TOSCI representative at the event urged farmers to purchase seeds only from authorized dealers and verify that they are certified before planting, warning that counterfeit or substandard seeds can lead to substantial losses after farmers have already invested heavily in land preparation, inputs and crop management.

“Farmers should make seed verification part of every purchase they make. Buy seeds from authorized dealers, ensure they are properly certified, and never plant seeds whose quality and origin cannot be verified. Poor-quality seed can cost farmers not only the price of the seed itself but also the labour, time and money invested throughout the entire farming season,” the representative said.

Bayer said the campaign is designed to take practical education directly to farmers while encouraging them to verify the authenticity of the seeds they buy.

As part of the campaign, participating farmers will have the opportunity to win a range of prizes, including knapsack sprayers, smartphones, hand-operated maize planters, motorcycles, solar panels and maize shelling machines. Two farmers will also each win a Toyota pick-up truck.

“We are helping farmers protect their harvests by ensuring they verify genuine seeds before planting, while also providing incentives that raise awareness about the importance of quality seeds and food security,” Sango said.

Throughout the four-month campaign, Bayer will also engage farmers with education on improved seed varieties and other agricultural solutions aimed at supporting sustainable food production across Tanzania.