Presentation at the November 2012 dialogue workshop of the Biosciences for Farming in Africa media fellowship programme in Arusha, Tanzania. Please see www.b4fa.org for more information

1. MEDIA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME TRAINING COURSE.
4TH - 9TH NOVEMBER, 2012.

2. CONTENT:
Introduction
Training and sensitization on cassava seeds production
Cassava seed multiplication and management
Harvesting and Distribution
Achievements
Challenges
Lesson learnt
Suggestion

3. Introduction
Mkuranga district is situated about 50 km from Dar
es salaam city, it is bordering Dar es salaam city to the
north, to the east is bordered by Indian ocean, to the
south there is Rufiji District, and west is bordered by
kisarawe District.
In 2010 it was estimated that the District has a
population of 246,369 people, out of which 118,257 are
male and 128,112 are female.
The District has a total of (243,200 Ha), the mainland
is (198,500 Ha),the area that is suitable for cultivation
is (193,400 Ha), while the area which is under
cultivation is only (166,230 Ha).

4. In trod cont…
Cassava is major staple food and commercial
crop to the most of the household farmers in
Mkuranga district.
Due to its importance, various Research
Institutes and Organizations were conducted
their studies based on cassava plant and come
out with results which identified number of
challenges.
Amongst them were poor planting materials
resulted to low production volumes.

5. In trod. Cont…
To overcome these challenges and facilitating
farmers in obtaining improved planting
materials.
The district welcomed others agricultural
development partners or key players to chip in on
those pitfalls that they can make improvement for
the sake of farmers.
From 2008 the district was involved on
implemented cassava development chain with
agricultural development partners or key players
(e.g. FAO,VECO,IITA,ARI- Kibaha,).

6. •The District tabled this challenges to FAO which
took the initiative of supporting farmers to multiply
improved cassava variety called Kiroba, through its
project known as improved cassava seed
multiplication farms.
•FAO agreed to finance the development of 5 farms
at five different villages with 10 acres(4hectors) each
in the District.
•The aim of the development of improved cassava
seed was to assure availability of quality seed that
can boost production to meet market requirements.

7. Improved Cassava Seed Multiplication farm at Hoyoyo

8. TRAINING AND SENSITIZATION ON CASSAVA
SEEDS PRODUCTION.
The extension agents conducted trainings and
sensitization meetings to farmer groups , discussing
the challenges and come out with the plan of
developing cassava seed multiplication farms.
Farmers were trained on criteria for selection of
proper allocation of sites for seed multiplication
farms which guided farmers on acquiring fields for
this purpose.
We emphasized farmers that, in addition to
ensuring seed availability, but cassava seed
multiplication is also a business opportunity .

9. Cont…
Following the District Agricultural Development Plan
(DADPs, different roles were described in which some
were belonging to farmers themselves and others to
district council and research agencies.
Therefore farmers were required to acquire and
prepare land for seed multiplication and the district
to support them on technical and management skills.
Farmers in Hoyoyo village agreed and prepared 10
acres (4hectors) of seed multiplication farm.

10. CASSAVA SEED MULTIPLICATION AND
MANAGEMENT.
District council agreed with FAO to finance the
delivered quality planting materials for improved
seed from ARI-Kibaha to farmers.
Kibaha research has its research farms for cassava
at Chambezi in Bagamoyo district where these
planting materials were obtained.
Farmers were trained on how to properly plant
cassava for seed multiplication.

11. Cont……….
The lorry loaded with improved cassava planting
materials from research farms

12. cont…
Multiplication farms were planted under the assistance of
extension officers to ensure that conditions required for
establishment of seed multiplication farms are adhered
to.
Management on cassava Seed farm was done
collaboratively between farmers, extension officers and
researchers:
i. Farmers: were required to weed their farms regularly and rouging the diseased plant
so as to ensure cleanliness of the planting materials.
ii. Researchers: were engaged in provision of training concerning pest and diseases
surveillance.
iii. Extension officers: were also involved in frequent training and monitoring of
cassava farms to ensure that farms are managed by farmers accordingly.

13. Cont…
A team of Researcher, Extension officers and
Farmers when inspecting established cassava
multiplication farm.

14. HARVESTING AND DISTRIBUTION.
After 6 -7.months cassava seeds were ready for
harvesting and distribution.
The harvested seeds were distributed to group
members who are the owners of the farm freely,
where as cassava seeds were sold to cassava
producers in Hoyoyo village and neighboring
village at a price (TAS 3, 500/=.per bundle of
cassava seed that contain 30 - 40 stems).

15. ACHIEVEMENTS.
1. Assuring seed availability.
Quality seed availability has contributed boosting
cassava production in Hoyoyo village.
Farmers in the village managed to harvest 1,500
bundles that were distributed to villagers, where
as 2,500 bundles were distributed to neighboring
villagers that are producing cassava.
Farmers planted a quality seed from 2008/2009 to
2011/2012 season, the average in production has
increased from average of 2.5 tons/acre to 6 tons
per acre.

16. Achievement Cont…
2. Improved income and food security to farmers.
Farmers in Hoyoyo obtained a total of TAS.
19,000,000/= through the sales of cassava stems. This
income has helped farmer to improve their
livelihoods sustainability.
The income will continue to flow for a period of 3
years as the cassava seed multiplication farm will be
ratoon for 2 seasons thus sales of clean cassava
planting materials will continue.

17. Achievement cont…
3. Strengthening of processing sector in the
district.
It is known that selling cassava flour and chips after
processing or adding value gives high profit compared
to selling fresh cassava.
Farmers are now engaged in the cassava processing
business by adding values to obtain cassava flour
which are used for making bites and other cassava by
products so as to increase family income and assuring
their food sufficient.
Through the income that was obtained from selling
quality seeds, farmers group have managed to buy
cassava processing machines (Cassava chipper and
milling machine).

18. Achievement cont…
Machines and equipment own by organized family
farmers.
Figure 4: Machines and Equipment own

19. Challenges
Lack of well defined market for cassava planting
material.
Courage and indetermination of farmers in
accepting the ideas and implementing it, because
it is a new idea to most of them.
Failure of some farmers to follow the required
agronomic practices, crop inspection and
sanitation conditions to fulfill the establishment
of improved cassava seeds, leads to some of their
farms to have pest attack and diseases.

20. Challenges cont…….
Affected farmers field with cassava mosaic virus.

21. Lessons learnt
If you want to create ownership to farmers make
sure they contribute and allow them to participate
in the whole process right from the beginning.
It is not necessary to be so many farmers to
accomplish planned activities but what is needed
is commitment.

22. SUGGESTIONS.
Cassava can help on areas with unreliable rainfall
to ensure food security and increased income
through proper processing hence value addition.
Efforts should be taken to establish clean cassava
seeds farms for those who intend to consider
cassava crop development initiatives.

23. THE END
THANK YOU