Seeds of change
Help more farmers access the skills, seeds and tools they need to adapt to the changing climate.
In the Dodoma region of Tanzania, farmers are preparing to sow a fresh crop of sorghum – a cereal that is both a staple of their diet and their main source of income.
But the changing climate is making it increasingly difficult for farmers to grow healthy harvests using traditional farming methods. If they don’t find ways to adapt, they’ll face immense challenges – no matter how hard they work.
The solution? Local access to high-quality seeds.
High-quality seeds could truly revolutionise their harvests. They help to boost crop yields, are tolerant to droughts and resilient to pests and diseases.
They give farmers and their families the best chance of a healthy harvest, even in the driest conditions.
Help farmers sow the seeds of change
6 STEPS TO HIGH-QUALITY SEEDS
Many farmers are still reliant on sorghum seeds that they have collected from their own crops. Recycled seeds are often poor quality and have very little chance of growing into a healthy harvest, particularly if the conditions are dry. With another year of drought like the last one, crops will fail and farmers will struggle.
With your support, Farm Africa is training farmers in producing, processing and selling high-quality, drought-tolerant seeds.
Threshing
The first step is to separate the grains from the stalks to collect the seeds.
Drying
Seeds must be adequately dried to a safe moisture level to avoid the seeds deteriorating and losing their quality.
Sorting and cleaning
Seeds are carefully sorted and cleaned to remove any impurities or debris, ensuring that only high-quality seeds remain.
Treating
The seeds are treated with chemicals to protect them from pests and diseases, and they are often coloured red to distinguish them from grain, ensuring they are not accidentally consumed.
Packing
The treated seeds are then carefully packed in quality-assured packaging, ensuring they are ready for sale.
Marketing
Before seeds go to market, they need to be tested and certified by the relevant government body.
Promotion and branding strategies are devised. Then the certified seeds are priced and sold through local markets or distribution networks.
If you're curious to learn more about the journey of high-quality seeds and how they're transforming lives in Tanzania, take a look at our video:
VERIAN VS CLIMATE CHANGE
As the new year approaches, Verian is preparing to sow her next crop of sorghum. She has learnt how best to prepare her soil and grow her sorghum with minimal water, and has trialled using high-quality seeds with great success.
But without an ongoing supply of those seeds, she could end up back at square one.
As she puts it, “Going forward, I need to find a way to procure the (high-quality) seeds. The only resilience I have against the effects of climate change comes from these drought-tolerant seeds.”
Photo by Farm Africa / Michael Goima
Meet Elizabeth
Once in the same situation as Verian, Elizabeth is now a successful seed producer, thanks to the training and resources provided by Farm Africa.
She supplies high-quality seeds to hundreds of farmers in her village, directly impacting their yields and their lives.
“I’ve learnt from Farm Africa how to produce and sell high-quality seeds, and this has changed my life. The seeds that I’m providing and packing and selling to farmers are more productive compared to local seed.”
Elizabeth's success is inspiring, but the demand for her seeds surpasses what she can supply.
Photo by Farm Africa / Michael Goima
Our solution is clear. We want to equip farmers to follow in Elizabeth's footsteps.
Through specialised training, they'll learn to produce, process, and sell high-quality sorghum seeds, ensuring a sustainable future for their communities.
The Climate-smart agriculture project is funded by Irish Aid through the World Food Programme.
