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Farmers in dire need of soy seeds

Arusha. Nduruma villagers in Arumeru District, Arusha Region, are concerned about challenges in accessing soy seeds despite sentisation by the government to grow the crop.

One of them, Mr Ahmed Mohamed, called on the government to allow farmers in the village produce the seeds for sale to ease access.

He gave the proposal after Arusha District Council agriculture officer Lucy Mvungi informed the farmers that there was a scarcity of soy seeds at the Tanzania Agriculture Seeds Agency, which has the mandate to produce them.

“They can only produce the seeds depending on the demand at a particular time,” she said.

According to her, normally agriculture officers are required to coordinate farmers to know the amount of seeds required before informing the village leaders who in turn inform the district council then takes up the matter to the regional office before reaching the seeds agency.

The farmers said the process was too long and asked authorities to allow them to produce the seeds themselves or else the government plans would fail if the seeds don’t reach the farmers on time.

Ms Mvungi informed them that the agency outsources the service through the Declared Quality Seeds programme that ensures the seeds are produced by farmers through the right channel that ensure they are of the right quality.

African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership investments director Mbette Msolla said they were working with smallholder farmers