1.
B4FA’s Media Fellowship
Programme, NIGERIA (September 24-27,
2012)
Seed Trade Environment in Tanzania
By Daniel Otunge
OFAB Coordinator
d.otunge@aatf-africa.org

2.
What is AATF?
• The African Agricultural Technology
Foundation (AATF) was incorporated in 2003
to facilitate transfer of proprietary
technologies to smallholder farmers in subSaharan Africa.

3.
AATF Projects
Nitrogen & Water Efficient and salt tolerant Rice (NEWEST)
Virus resistant bananas;
Striga Control in maize
Aflatoxin control (Aflasafe)
Cassava
WEMA
Bt. Cowpea
OFAB

4.
About Open Forum on Agricultural
Biotechnology
• Platform for sharing credible, factual and balanced
information on modern biotechnology to impact
policy making process.
• Started by AATF in 2006 in Nairobi.

5.
OFAB TZ Launch in May 2009

6.
OFAB Chapters
OFAB
Kenya: ISAAA
OFAB
Ghana: CSIR
OFAB
Uganda: UNCST
OFAB Burkina:
INERA
OFAB
Tanzania: COSTECH
OFAB
Nigeria: NABDA

7.
Tanzania SEED SYSTEMS

8.
Types of seed systems
• There are two main types:
Informal: Major players are farmers
and NGOs
Formal: Major players are Companies,
NARIs, research institutes,
government,development partners,
etc.

9.
The Role of farmers and NGOs
• Informal seed sector dominates the seed system in
Tanzania and most other African countries.
• Over 85% of seeds and planting materials are from the
informal seed system dominated by farmers and NGOs.
• Seed market distortion due to state, NGO and farmer
involvement.

10.
Role of national research institutes
Tanzania has several research institutes under the
Directorate of Agricultural Research and Development play
crucial role in production of certified quality seeds for the
formal seed system sector. They include
Agricultural Research Institute-Selian
Agricultural Research Institute-Naliendele
Agricultural Research Institute-Mkuranga
Agricultural Research Institute-Mikocheni
Cassava Research Institute-Kibaha
Sugarcane Research Institute-Kibaha

11.
Role of national institutes
The national research institutes are responsible for trials of
various biotech crops such as:
Maize (WEMA, Aflasafe)
Rice (NEWEST)
Cassava (Mosaic Virus, Brown streak)
Tobacco
Issues that needs to be highlighted for the benefit of the public include
industry readiness to take up to the technologies, capacity, status of
biosafety regulations, public education efforts to address concerns and
create awareness.

12.
Tanzania Seed classes
Tanzania has adopted UN-FAO seed scheme that recognizes
four seed classes:
ASA, NARIs, Varsities,
companies
Foundation
Seed
ASA
Certified
Seed
•Companies
•Individuals
State agencies: research, certification and release
Standard
Seed
Farmers
Production/Market linkages
FARMERS
Breeder’s
Seed

13.
Role of research institutes
Key challenges include:
•Inadequate funding: low funding for research
•Brain drain: Poor pay
•Poor infrastructure: Human and institutional
•Poor project planning: Deployment often left out
•Donor dependency: Incomplete projects
•Bad governance: Graft

14.
Role of Universities & Colleges
In Tanzania the following institutions play key
role crops production and academic training
Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro
Ukiriguru Institute of Agriculture, Mwanza
Nyegezi Institute of Agriculture, Mwanza
Tengeru Institute of Agriculture, Arusha
Uyole Institute of Agriculture, Mbeya
Tumbi Institute of Agriculture, Tabora
Ilonga Institute of Agriculture, Morogoro
Mlingano Institute of Agriculture, Tanga
Kilosa Agricultural College,

15.
Role of Seed Companies
• Tanzania has about 30? registered seed companies that play a
significant role in supply of quality seeds to farmers
• About 20? of these are members of Tanzania Seed Trade
Association (TASTA)
• Even so about 50%? of quality seeds are imported
• Seed production is an expensive undertaking

16.
Why Biotech R & D
Increasing Global Demand for Cereals
Sustainable production
Declining arable land
Insect pest attacks
Viral and bacterial disease attacks
Weed control
Reduction in pesticide use

17.
Why Biotech R & D…
Recurrent drought
Climate change
Nutrient Efficiency (Protein, starch, oil, fiber, vitamin A
etc.): Nutri-ceuticals

18.
Role of CGIAR
• The CG centers also play important roles in seed production process.
• Most relevant ones include:
International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA): rice, cassava,
World Vegetable Center (AVRDC),
International Maize and Wheat Research Center (CIMMYT): Maize,
wheat
Africa Rice Center (WARDA): NERICA
International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
International Potato Center (CIP): Orange-fleshed Sweet Potato

19.
Role of regional organizations
These organizations provide funding for agricultural research,
technology transfer and also facilitate better agricultural policy
and regulatory environments
•SADC (harmonization of seed systems etc)
•COMESA
•ASARECA
•EAC
•AATF
•AGRA
•NEPAD/CAADP (lobbying governments to increase budget
allocation for agricultural research, science, technology and
innovation)

20.
Importance of seeds
Seeds are central to:
Crop production and yield
Agricultural technology delivery
Human and animal nutrition
Germplasm diversity and conservation
Genomics, genetics and breeding
Biofuels

21.
SEED REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT

22.
Seed regulation in Tanzania
• Tanzania has policies, rules, regulations and laws,
which govern plant breeding, seed production, seed
variety testing, variety release, seed marketing,
quality control, conflict resolution, import and export.

23.
Seed systems linkages
NSC: National Seeds Committee
MAFC
DRD
Ministries
(eg MAFC,
Finance, MS&T)
Credit
/Banks
Input
supplier
s
Agro-dealer
Association
TOSCI, ASA
NARIs, Varsities,
Multinational
companies
VRC, NBC
SEED COMPANIES
Farmers
NAES
MAFC: Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives
DRD: Division of Research and Development
NVRC: National Variety Release Committee
NAES: National Agricultural Extension Service
NARIs: National Agricultural Research Institutes
NBC: National Biosafety Committee
PGRC: National Plant Genetic Resources Centre
TFA: Tanzania Farmers Association
TASTA: Tanzania Seed Trade Association
NGOs
Farmers
Consumers
TASTA
TFA

24.
Seed regulation in Tanzania
• The Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute
(TOSCI) is the official government agency responsible
for seed testing, certification and release.
• TOSCI is responsible for NPTs (National Performance
Trials) and DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability
of seed varieties).
• TOSCI works closely with the National Variety Release
Committee which also comprises representatives of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and
Cooperatives (MAFC).

25.
Seed regulation in Uganda
The following are the key regulatory documents
journalists should review to understand and to inform
and educate the public on seed regulatory
environment in Tanzania:
Seed Act, 2003
Protection of New Plant Varieties (Plant Breeders’ Rights)
Act, 2002
Biosafety Bill (review plans underway)
National Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy

26.
Regulatory environment
There is need to guard against tendency to over-regulate or underregulate if seed industry is to flourish
Overregulation:

27.
Use of other inputs
Use of other inputs still low because:
•Cost
•Availability
•Poverty
•Low awareness of benefits
Interventions :
Seed companies,
Relief agencies,
Governments (ASA, subsidies-maize, fertilizer etc)
NGOs/Donors (e.g. AGRA, IFDC, DFID, USAID, JICA, SASAKAWA 2000)
UN agencies (FAO, WFP, UNICEF etc)

28.
HOW SEEDS REACH FARMERS

29.
Role of seed companies
• The companies use the following strategies to reach out to
farmers:
Agro-dealer networks
Demonstration plots
Sales and marketing agents
Promotion (not adequately done)
Media (pay less attention to seed value chain)
Farmer field days
Exhibitions
Companies have failed to play above roles effectively, leading to lack of
awareness of availability and benefits of certified quality seeds.

30.
Role of extension service:
•Government extension staff are responsible for agriculture
extension
•However, generally the extension service is:
Ineffective
inefficient
Underfunded
Understaffed

31.
Role of information:
Sources of information on new seed varieties include:
•Seed companies
•Use of ICTs
•The mass media
•Agro-dealers,
•NGOs
•Agric Extension service
•Farmer associations
•Exhibitions e.g. (Nane nane in Dodoma, Morogoro etc.)

32.
Role of AFSTA:
• The African Seed Trade Association is an industry body formed
to promote trade in quality seeds and innovative agricultural
technologies
• 26 National Seed Trade Associations and 70 member seed
companies spread across Africa.
• In Tanzania AFSTA operates through TASTA.
• Main programs include: ASIESA, WASA,COMRAP and Biotech
awareness.

33.
Role of AFSTA:
• The national associations partner with government
departments and seed companies to create channels through
which farmers can access seeds more easily.
• Organizes annual congress where farmers get information at
exhibition booths. The 2012 Congress was held in Zanzibar,
TZ.
Next Congress:
5-8 March 2013 in Mauritius

34.
Role of AGRA:
• The AGRA’s Program for African’s Seed
Systems (PASS) is perhaps the most
ambitious and well coordinator effort to
improve supply of seeds to farmers in
Africa.
• PASS aims to increase Africa’s capacity to
breed, produce and deploy quality seeds to
farmers e.g. NARIs, Farmers and Seed
Companies.
Dr Joe Dvries, PASS Director

35.
THE STATUS OF PLANT INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS (IPRS)

36.
What is IPR
• IPRs are legal instruments used to protect creations of the
mind which have commercial value, such as inventions, e.g. the
Bt Cotton, gene gun.
• They grant exclusive rights to the breeder against
unauthorized access and use
• New plant varieties are protected under:
TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of IPRs) Agreement
UPOV (International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of
Plants
ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization) .

37.
IPRs situation
• Tanzania is among few countries in Africa with legislation to
protect plant breeders’ rights. It is called the Protection of New
Plant Varieties (Plant Breeders’ Rights) Act, 2002.
• This Act introduced a new and independent protection system for
plant varieties not registered under the Patents Act. This has
opened up TZ for seed production and trade investments
• The legislation also establishes the Plant Breeders’ Rights
Registry (under MAFC) separate from the normal Patents
Registry.

38.
Challenges facing adoption of improved seeds
The following are some of the major challenges facing the seed
systems in Uganda:
Counterfeiting
Low quality seeds
Lack of awareness of benefits
Weak seed systems
Moribund extension service
Weak enforcement of regulations
Poverty
Weak seed companies

39.
THANK YOU
www.aatf-africa.org
www.ofabafrica.org