Tanzania has been recognized as one of the few African nations to adopt a national strategy for the recognition and protection of indigenous seeds, marking a major step toward ensuring long-term food security on the continent.
In the 2024/25 farming season, Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, approved the registration and official use of 13 indigenous seed varieties. These include various crops and will be available for use by farmers in accordance with the country’s Seed Act, Chapter 308, Sections 12 and 13(3).
During the opening of a regional summit on food systems policy in Africa, Dr. Million Belay, General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), and Francoise Uwumukiza, former Chair of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Committee on Agriculture, Tourism, and Natural Resources, applauded Tanzania and Kenya for recognizing and protecting indigenous seeds. They urged other African countries to follow their example.
“For Africa to achieve food security, it is essential to promote and safeguard indigenous seeds instead of depending on imported varieties,” said Dr. Belay. “In the past, Africa was one of the world’s leading food producers due to indigenous agricultural knowledge. Today, the continent heavily relies on external inputs, including seeds.”
He stressed that as climate change continues to affect agricultural systems and soil health globally, African nations must protect their biodiversity and food systems through the use of native seeds and the development of agroecological farming.
Uwumukiza echoed this view, stating, “The East African Community recognizes the importance of indigenous seeds and supports the efforts made by the governments of Tanzania and Kenya to formally register them.”
She emphasized that this recognition aligns with African Union guidelines that aim to safeguard food security across the continent. “EALA will continue to develop policies and legislation to protect indigenous seeds. We urge other African countries to do the same.”
Ethiopia’s Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Assefa Adela, highlighted the importance of sustained dialogue and long-term strategies on food security in Africa. “The Ethiopian government fully acknowledges the importance of food security in protecting public health and preventing hunger,” she said.
Ayele Kebede Gebreyes, Project Manager at SIDA Africa, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance food security across the continent. “SIDA, in partnership with other countries, will continue supporting projects that aim to build sustainable food systems throughout Africa,” he said.
Reacting to Tanzania’s decision, Damian James Sulumo, Project Officer at the Tanzania Smallholder Farmers Federation (SHIWAKUTA) and the Farmers’ Network of Arusha (MVIWAARUSHA), expressed appreciation to the government. “It wasn’t an easy process. We formed a task force on seed issues and held extensive discussions with the government and the parliamentary agriculture committee until we reached this significant breakthrough,” he said.
Sulumo noted that the Ministry of Agriculture has also acknowledged the value of indigenous seeds in its 2025/26 budget and has pledged to enhance research, including the construction of a specialized research center in Arusha.
Thomas Laizer, Advocacy and Policy Officer at SHIWAKUTA, underscored the need to focus on local solutions. “We cannot achieve true agricultural transformation by relying on seeds imported from outside Africa. Among the indigenous seeds approved for use in Tanzania are four maize varieties, four rice varieties, two types of beans, and three papaya varieties,” he said.
“Tanzania is blessed with a rich variety of indigenous seeds. If properly utilized, these seeds will not only boost food production but also ensure continuous food security, reducing dependency on imported seed varieties,” he added.
The ongoing Food Security Summit in Addis Ababa has brought together participants from 23 African nations, including crop researchers, agroecology experts, legislators, government officials, civil society organizations, and journalists.
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