Seed Trade Environment in Tanzania

By Daniel Otunge

OFAB Coordinator

d.otunge@aatf-africa.org

B4FA’s Media Fellowship

Programme, NIGERIA (September 24-27,

2012)

What is AATF?

• The African Agricultural Technology

Foundation (AATF) was incorporated in 2003

to facilitate transfer of proprietary

technologies to smallholder farmers in sub-

Saharan Africa.

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

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.

OFAB TZ Launch in May 2009

OFAB Chapters

OFAB

Ghana: CSIROFAB

Uganda: UNCST

OFAB

Tanzania: COSTECH

OFAB

Nigeria: NABDA

OFAB Burkina:

INERA

OFAB

Kenya: ISAAA

Tanzania SEED SYSTEMS

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.

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.

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

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.

Tanzania Seed classes

Breeder’sSeed

ASA, NARIs, Varsities, companies

Foundation SeedASA

Certified Seed

•Companies•Individuals

StandardSeed

Farmers

State agencies: research, certification and release

FA

RM

ER

S

Production/Market linkages

Tanzania has adopted UN-FAO seed scheme that recognizes

four seed classes:

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

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,

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

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

Why Biotech R & D…� Recurrent drought � Climate change� Nutrient Efficiency (Protein, starch, oil, fiber, vitamin A

etc.): Nutri-ceuticals

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

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)

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

SEED REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT

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.

Seed systems linkages

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

Ministries

(eg MAFC,

Finance, MS&T)

TOSCI, ASA

VRC, NBC

NAES

MAFCDRD

NARIs, Varsities,

Multinational

companies

SEED COMPANIES

Farmers

Credit

/Banks

Input

supplier

s

NGOs Farmers

Consumers

NSC: National Seeds Committee

Agro-dealer

Association

TASTA

TFA

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).

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

Regulatory environmentThere is need to guard against tendency to over-regulate or under-

regulate if seed industry is to flourish

Overregulation:

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)

HOW SEEDS REACH FARMERS

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.

Role of extension service:

•Government extension staff are responsible for agriculture

extension

•However, generally the extension service is:

� Ineffective

� inefficient

� Underfunded

� Understaffed

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.)

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.

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

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

THE STATUS OF PLANT INTELLECTUAL

PROPERTY RIGHTS (IPRS)

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) .

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.

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

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