GOVERNMENT, SEED DEALERS CALL ON MAIZE FARMERS TO VERIFY MAIZE SEEDS BEFORE PLANTING

Maize farmers across Tanzania have been urged to verify seeds before planting to protect themselves from counterfeit and substandard varieties that could undermine yields and lead to costly losses.

Bayer Life Science Tanzania Managing Director Mwinyi Sango with farmers and stakeholders during the launch of the DEKALB Mafanikio Shambani Campaign in Mwanza.

The call was made in Mwanza on Tuesday as farmers, seed dealers and agricultural stakeholders gathered for the launch of a nationwide campaign aimed at strengthening awareness on the importance of buying and planting certified maize seed.

Farmers were encouraged to ensure that the seeds they purchase have been verified and approved by the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), the national authority responsible for regulating seed quality and ensuring planting materials sold to farmers meet prescribed standards.

Dubbed “DEKALB Mafanikio Shambani,” the four-month National Consumer Promotion Campaign will target maize farmers across Tanzania, combining farmer sensitisation on seed verification with increased awareness of certified hybrid varieties suited to different production environments.

The campaign focuses on five DEKALB maize hybrid varieties developed for different ecological zones, including low-rainfall areas and high-potential farming regions. The varieties are intended to give farmers options suited to their local growing conditions as changing rainfall patterns and other climate pressures increasingly affect agricultural production.

Bayer Life Science Tanzania Managing Director Mwinyi Sango said the changing climate has placed additional pressure on smallholder farmers, making the choice of appropriate, quality seed increasingly important to farm productivity.

“Smallholder farmers are bearing the brunt of climate change and erratic weather conditions in Africa. As an organisation anchored on fostering food security as a matter of national security, we are promoting certified seeds that can help farmers improve yields while supporting sustainable agriculture,” Sango said.

The campaign comes at a time when maize has become the dominant crop in Tanzania's formal seed system. According to TOSCI, maize accounted for about 93 per cent of all certified seed available in the country in 2025/26, underlining its importance to both the seed industry and national food security. For farmers, Sango said germination, genetic purity and the suitability of a variety to particular growing conditions determine whether the investment made at planting translates into a productive crop.

“You don't have to plant many maize seeds in one hole just to be sure that something will grow. All you need is one quality seed, planted correctly, and we assure you it will grow,” he said. TOSCI data shows that the formal seed system accounts for about 40 per cent of national seed supply, while an estimated 45 per cent comes through the informal system and another 15 per cent through Quality Declared Seed arrangements.

A TOSCI representative at the Mwanza event urged farmers to purchase seed from authorised dealers and ensure that the seed has been certified before planting, warning that the use of counterfeit or substandard seed can expose farmers to losses that may only become apparent after considerable investment has already gone into preparing and managing the crop.

“Farmers should make seed verification part of every purchase. Buy from authorised seed dealers, check that the seed is properly certified and do not plant seed whose quality and source you cannot establish. Once poor-quality seed is planted, the farmer risks losing the cost of the seed as well as the money, labour and time invested in the entire season,” the representative said.

For Bayer, the consumer campaign seeks to bring the message closer to farmers while giving them an incentive to verify the seed they purchase.

During the four-month promotion, participating farmers will stand a chance to win assorted prizes, including knapsack sprayers, smartphones, hand-operated maize planters, motorbikes, solar panels and maize shellers. Two farmers will each win a Toyota pick-up.

“We are helping farmers protect their harvest by verifying genuine seeds before they plant, while creating an incentive that strengthens awareness around quality seed and food security,” Sango said.

Bayer will use the campaign to engage farmers on high-quality seed and other agricultural solutions aimed at supporting sustainable food production.