Stories - 14-12-2016
Taking responsibility
Tanzania holds a special place in our hearts. This started in 2002 when we began with seed production in Arusha. We chose this location because of the optimal climate conditions for the production of high-quality seeds. When visiting East Africa we had seen with our own eyes the poor quality of the seeds used by growers and the low technical expertise of most of the countless smallholders. We wanted to see if we could use our expertise to improve this situation.
First exploratory steps
Together with East West Seeds, a company with extensive vegetable-breeding experience in tropical regions of Asia, we took the first exploratory steps with the Tanzanian Vegetable Seed Program (TVSP) from 2005 to 2007. The goal was to gain an overview of the constraints in the seed supply chain and to test existing varieties for suitability in East Africa. Furthermore, farmers received initial training on a small scale. We learned how vegetable production can provide smallholders with a good income and boost a region’s economy.
Long term
In 2008 this initiative evolved and resulted in the foundation of Rijk Zwaan Afrisem, the primary aim of which is to provide the African horticultural sector with high-quality seeds of improved hybrid varieties. The market for Farmers Saved Seed (FSS) and open pollinated varieties (OPVs) is still enormous but, in line with our company values, we are choosing to focus on the long term.
Seeds and services
We are proud to have launched the first hybrid breeding programme in vegetable crops dedicated to the East African market. But we also know that good varieties alone are not enough. Our experience in Europe and Asia has shown that education and training for growers is essential in order to develop a vegetable industry. We call it a ‘seeds and services’ approach. We are very keen to bring this concept to Africa, too.We are proud to have launched the first hybrid breeding programme in vegetable crops dedicated to the East African market. But we also know that good varieties alone are not enough. Our experience in Europe and Asia has shown that education and training for growers is essential in order to develop a vegetable industry. We call it a ‘seeds and services’ approach. We are very keen to bring this concept to Africa, too.
Read more about Rijk Zwaan Breeding for Africa
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