Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

Background of the project

Main objective

The objective of the project is to improve food security and incomes of small holder farming communities in East Africa through improved access to quality seed for increased sweet potato productivity and marketing, and hence the crop’s competitiveness. The partner scientist, government departments of crop protection (inspection), innovators based at the regional universities and research institute will work with private sector companies to achieve this objective. It is expected that the capacity of the researchers and innovators, and their institutions, will transfer bio-innovations and technologies to the market through the private sector partners to small holder farmers in the East Africa region.

Specific objectives

1.   To produce and delivery of adequate quantity of clean and certified sweetpotato seed

2. To develop and validated a web-based mobile app (Viazi app) for coordinating inspection, production and marketing of sweetpotato seed

3. To evaluate and promote proven sweetpotato value addition technologies

Expected outcomes

The project is expected to contribute to enhanced food security among smallholder farmers (SHF) in EA through commercialization of the sweetpotato seed value chain. This project will catalyse the development of a sustainable private sector led sweetpotato seed system in EA with enterprises developed along the seed value chain. The three major outcome that have been realised by the project are :

1. A sustainable system for commercial production and delivery of adequate quantities of certified seed for increased sweetpotato productivity is operational in Tanzania,

2. Adoption of a field based sweetpotato diagnostic kit and quality seed production guidelines by the different stakeholders (inspectors, vine multipliers and farmers) for quality control in the sweetpotato seed value chain, and

3. Use of a web-based mobile application for information access and, monitoring seed production, inspection and marketing activities in the sweetpotato quality seed value chain

Project achievements

1.            Field vine multipliers (FVM) readily access basic seed and produce farmer demanded quantities of certified sp. Seed
2.           Inspection and certification along the sweetpotato seed value chain strengthened through staff training and informing policy
3.       A web-based mobile app (Viazi app) for coordinating inspection, production and marketing of sweetpotato seed validated

The project contributed to enhanced food security among smallholder farmers (SHF) in EA through commercialization of the sweet potato seed value chain. The project facilitated the development of a sustainable private sector led sweet potato seed system in Tanzania with enterprises developed along the seed value chain.

Funding: Sida through BioInnovate Africa program II

Publications

1. Kibiki, C., Mutabazi, K and Tairo F. (2020). Profit analysis of virus free sweet potato and vine multiplication by smallholder farmers in selected regions of Tanzania. International Journal of Agricultural Economics 2020; 5(4): 99-105
2. Kibiki, C., (2020). Economic analysis of virus free sweetpotato production in the lake and coastal zone of Tanzania. Thesis in the partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in Agricultural Economics of the Sokoine university of Agriculture, Tanzania
3. Kangile, R. J., Bakuza E., Kuboja N. M and Tairo F.D. (2020). Can orange fleshed sweetpotato processing trigger farmers to use quality improved planting materials? Empirical evidence from selected regions in Tanzania International Journal of Agricultural Economics 2020;13(1): 34-44

For more Information contact

Fred Tairo (Ph.D), fredtairo@gmail.com