TOSCI Bolsters Use Of Certified Seeds In Tanzania’s Agriculture Sector
Mr. Nyasebwa Chimaguu
Between 2021/22 and 2023/24, production of certified seeds in Tanzania catapulted from 34, 799 tons to 56,114.5 tons, equivalent to 78 percent of a total of the whole certified seeds
MOROGORO. THE Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI) has successfully worked to facilitate the increasing use of certified improved seeds among the local farmers, from 50,750 tons to 72, 031.9 tons during agricultural seasons spanning between 2021/22 and 2023/24.
The vital development in the country’s seed sector is attributed to the joint efforts initiated between TOSCI, the Ministry of Agriculture and the private sector to strengthening availability, accessibility, utilization and quality control of seed varieties in the country.
The target, among others is to attain needed crops productivity and income among local farmers, ensuring food security and nutrition in the country, and feeding the rest of the world commercially.
Mr Nyasebwa E. Chimagu, the Director General (DG) of TOSCI informed the publication during an exclusive interview that for the past four years, the state- owned seed watching dog has been working tirelessly to elevate the status and performance of Tanzania’s agriculture sector.
He added, in further efforts to boost use of improved seeds, the parent ministry through TOSCI has worked to increase the percentage of certified seeds that produced in Tanzania.
“For instance, between 2021/22 and 2023/24, production of certified seeds in Tanzania catapulted from 34, 799 tons to 56,114.5 tons, equivalent to 78 percent of a total of the whole certified seeds,” he noted.
He added, the notable success in the production and certification of improved seed in Tanzania has been propelled by the available of conducive environment in attracting potential investment onto the sector.
“The government has for the past four years been working to create and set better environment and policies to sensitive investors to chip-in and invest into the seed sector,” the DG unveiled.
He detailed, the development has resulted into an increase in the acreages of seed producing areas across the country, from 10, 674 hectares in 2014/15 to 99, 885 hectares during 2023/2024.
Moreover, Mr Chimagu informed that strengthening of research and quality control of new seed varieties in Tanzania has prompted to success results.
“The Ministry of Agriculture through the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), together with seed companies have collaboratively worked to strengthening scientific research on new seed varieties in Tanzania,”Mr Chimagu expressed.
As the results, he said the farmers in the country are provided with vast access to high yields, tolerate drought, , as well as disease- free varieties, thus enabling them to boost production and productivity.
The other area that the Ministry of Agriculture through TOSCI have improved towards the sector, according to him, is seed testing and verification process.
“The major focus is to ensure all seeds for priority crops are made available to the farmers in Tanzania and meet the set seeds standards in order to give the country’s agriculture sector the deserved development,” he stated.
As part of the concerted efforts, he communicated that number of the registered new seeds in Tanzania has gone up, from 431 during 2015/2016 to 604 in 2019/2020.
TOSCI is responsible for field and seed inspection, sampling, seed testing, variety evaluation and verification through National Performance Trials (NPT), Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability tests (DUS) and control plot testing.
With its headquarters based in Morogoro, the Institute (TOSCI) is now recognized internationally since it has been accredited to International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), admitted to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Seed Certification Schemes, whereby seed produced in Tanzania and certified by TOSCI can now be sold in the country and the excess can be exported to other countries. Further to that, Tanzania is also a member of the International Union for Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).
The visioning of TOSCI is towards attaining the national target of seed security by enhancing policy and regulatory framework for a robust and efficient seed system.
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