Rural Seed Fairs in Southern Tanzania Notes Why southern zone rural seed fairs? T he low productivity of agricul- · To enable researchers, extension tural crops is among the factors agents and farmers to meet and ex- leading to low income and food KI change ideas on their strategies, the insecurity for rural people in skills they use in seed and variety the Southern Zone of Tanzania.. The development and to sell and ex- use of improved seeds is one way of in- change seed materials; and creasing the productivity of agricul- · To create working contacts between tural crops. It was realized that the seed expert farmers, extension seed supply pipeline from the seed- agents, breeders/researchers and na- producing regions in the Southern tional seed producers. These work- Zone was not flowing freely partly due ing contacts could lead to refine- to the poor infrastructure prevailing in ment of extension content and the the zone. In the conventional Transfer creation of new seed/variety devel- of Technology model (TOT), the seed opment programs and schemes in- supply pipeline begins with research cluding more village-based initia- where breeding work is done and ends tives and researcher-farmer partner- with farmers who access a final product ships for technology development of improved seeds/variety. The Mul- tiple Sources of Innovations Model ac- Mid-term No. 43 knowledges the contribution of infor- · To increase significantly the number April 2002 mal seed systems. Therefore, it is ar- gued by development experts that in- formal and formal seed/variety devel- IK Notes reports periodically on opment experts can complement each Indigenous Knowledge (IK) initiatives other and improve the supply of seeds in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is published of preferred varieties to farmers better by the Africa Region's Knowledge and Learning Center as part of an evolving than each expert's isolated efforts. IK partnership between the World The Southern Zone Rural seed fairs Bank, communities, NGOs, develop- have the following objectives: ment institutions and multilateral organizations. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors World Bank Short-term and should not be attributed to the · To create awareness of and accessi- World Bank Group or its partners in bility to additional alternative seeds this initiative. A webpage on IK is and planting materials from research available at //www.worldbank.org/afr/ ik/default.htm institutions, seed companies and farmers; 2 and availability of crop varieties bred from National Re- Project Support (RIPS). However, since the year 2000, Dis- search Institutes, seed companies and farmers' own seed trict Councils have been financing the rural seed fairs. systems in the southern zone Before each seed fair, a farmer seed expert survey is con- · To promote farmers' own seed and exchange systems such ducted and a seed fair site selected in each district. The that the official efforts, in addition to normal commercial farmer seed experts are those farmers who in their commu- channels, also work increasingly towards enhancing indig- nity are considered experts on certain crops based on experi- enous systems; and ence and who supply seed to others. These farmers are in- · To encourage convergence between official variety devel- vited to exhibit during the seed fair day. Other farmers not opment/seed production and farmers in their own comple- identified as experts are also free to attend and participate. mentary seed/variety development They could bring seeds , local skills and demonstrate to oth- ers. The seed fair sites are selected by districts based on the Long-term potential of the area for agricultural production, the avail- · To increase agricultural productivity, food availability and ability of accommodation, accessibility and how central it is income for rural people in the southern zone. to other villages so that farmers from the neighbourhood can easily attend the fair. The ARI Naliendele was being assisted financially by RIPS Organization and implementation of the seed fairs to purchase improved seeds from different places in the country - particularly from research institutions, seed com- Over the years 1997­1999, Seed Fairs were organized and panies, Tanzania Farmers' Association shops and some hard- implemented by the Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), to-obtain seeds from farmers. Small samples of 5­200 grams Naliendele and District Councils with financial support com- of all seed types of different crops including cereals, le- ing largely from the FINIDA-supported Rural Integrated gumes, oilseeds, vegetable crops and fruits and tree seeds are collected and packed in small packets. These seed packs IK Notes are sold to or exchanged with farmers who are interested in testing in their fields. To spread awareness regarding the seed fair, radio spot would be of interest to: announcements are made 2­4 weeks prior to the event and there is live coverage on the actual day. Name Farmers in selected villages set up booths for seed exhibi- Institution tion. They also organize traditional dances on the eve of the seed fairs to entertain participants and make the seed fair a lively event. To coordinate the seed fair activity at the vil- Address lage level, various committees are formed, e.g., a building committee (ujenzi), a committee for food (chakula), a com- mittee for traditional dance(utamaduni), and a committee for security (ulinzi na usalama). District Councils provide extension officers with a budget to attend and participate in the seed fairs. They also provide seed Letters, comments, and requests for publications should be addressed to: experts with food and transport to and from seed fair sites. The seed fair lasts for two days in each selected village. Editor: IK Notes District Commissioners are invited to inaugurate the seed Knowledge and Learning Center fair event. It begins in the evening with traditional dances. Africa Region, World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Room J5-055 And from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm, farmers are shown video Washington, D.C. 20433 films on various agricultural technologies. The actual seed E-mail: pmohan@worldbank.org fair goes on from 8.00 am to 5.00 p.m. after which the seed fair team moves to another selected village in another dis- trict. On the seed fair day, apart from the seed exhibition, 3 demonstrations are held on grafting, farm tool manufacture, · Seed Fairs have been a valuable tool of technology transfer etc. Researchers document the knowledge of seed experts from research to farmers. through note-taking, photographs and video films The par- · Over seventy crop varieties of cereals, legumes, veg- ticipation of politicians, researchers, extension, farmers, and etables and oilseeds bred from the formal seed system private seed entrepreneurs creates working contacts and have been made available to farmers. therefore improves the linkage between stakeholders. · The Seed Fairs have helped to create awareness among re- searchers and extension regarding local varieties and have helped them to access the local knowledge of crops. Sustainability of the seed fairs · The Fairs have demonstrated how crops can be protected from genetic erosion; thus, one may recover certain types The Southern Zone Rural Seed Fairs started in 1997 in the of seeds which might have been lost in one area/village three villages of Marambo in Nachingwea, Mbonde in Masasi from other farmers. and Kitangari in Newala Districts. In 1998, the seed fairs · The Seed Fairs have increased the debate on seed issues in were extended to include 9 District Councils of the southern the zone and help zonal initiatives on seed multiplication. zone and in 1999 they were conducted in 10 District Coun- · The ARI Naliendele is now linking local individuals, farmer cils. To sustain the rural seed fairs in the zone, from 2000 Dis- research groups, local institutions to multiply seeds of pre- trict Councils were encouraged, as mentioned earlier, to take ferred varieties such as oilseeds. the leading role in organizing them without support from RIPS, · Beans cultivation has been introduced in Chilangala Divi- with the ARI Naliendele playing a coordinating role. sion as an alternative cash/food crop. Achievements of the seed fairs · Increased awareness of improved seeds and accessibility of The difference between agricultural shows seeds to farmers. Farmers are now demanding seeds of pre- and seed fairs ferred varieties. There have been some questions as to why Rural Seed Fairs · The Seed Fairs have demonstrated that farmers have valu- should not be combined with the National Nanenane Agricul- able local seeds, skills and knowledge that can be docu- tural shows (an annual event in each district and at National mented, disseminated and commercialized. Level) to minimize costs The reasons are summarized below. Agricultural shows Rural Seed Fairs · Extension staff influences what is displayed · Farmers decide what to display · Undermines local knowledge and traditional · Promotes local knowledge and traditional culture cultures · Demonstrates achievements from research and · Demonstrates achievements from formal research farmers' own seed system only · Diversity of crop plants is a major concern · Uniformity is a major concern · Stresses food security · Stresses increased production · Monitors availability of seeds of various types · Encourages farmers to adopt best options · The emphasis is on seed crops · Crops and livestock displayed · Encourages farmers to grow many crops · Encourages mono-cropping · Protects crops from genetic erosion · Commercialization leads to genetic erosion · Minor crops which might have medicinal properties · Some minor crops are neglected are encouraged to be displayed · Is conducted after crop harvest in August · Promotes soil fertility by growing many crops with · The major objective is to show formal scientific different nutrient requirement, some of them achievements improving soil fertility · Is conducted at the onset of the rainy season · The objective is to improve seed supply bred from research and farmers' own seeds in rural areas. 4 Understanding these differences is very important because most of the farmers in Tanzania are subsistence, small-scale farmers who may not qualify for the agricultural shows. Sub- sistence farmers grow various crops for food security. Agri- cultural shows seems to have been designed for the so-called progressive and commercial farmers. It follows that even the poorest farmers can qualify to participate in Seed Fairs. Rural Seed Fairs encourage the participation of resource-poor farmers in the conservation of plant genetic resources that contributes to their food security and rural livelihoods. This, consequently, empowers the rural poor and builds confi- dence in their knowledge and in indigenous plant genetic resources. This article was written by O.K.K. Mponda ( Plant Breeder and Principal Investigator, Southern Zone Rural Seed Fairs, ARI Naliendele, Mtwara) and E.M. Kafiriti (Agronomist, Oilseeds Research Programme, ARI Naliendele, Mtwara), Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 509 Mtwara, Tanzania, Fax No. 255 023 334023; e- mail NARI@RAHA.COM