Good seed for quality produce: indigenous vegetables boost farmer incomes and livelihoods in Tanzania

African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) have the potential to increase food and nutritional security and contribute to improved livelihoods, but farmers’ capacity to meet the growing demand for them has been constrained by a lack of good quality seed and technical knowhow. The Good Seed Initiative (GSI), funded by Irish Aid and active in Tanzania from 2013 to 2015, targeted both seed and vegetable growers, linking them to markets through an innovation platform (IP) approach. Production and utilization of quality AIV seeds has increased in Arusha and Dodoma, and cultivation of AIVs (both seed and vegetables) has increased farmers’ incomes and improved food and nutritional security for their communities. Project approaches such as farmer-to-farmer training, IPs and entrepreneurship have helped achieve sustainable linkages and improved livelihoods. - This case study was produced as part of the activities of the project entitled “Good Seed Initiative”. The project was mainly financed by Irish Aid with a small contribution from CABI’s Development Fund. CABI was the lead institute and the project partners included: The World Vegetable Center – Eastern and Southern Africa (AVRDC-ESA); Horticultural Research and Training Institute Tengeru (HORTI Tengeru) and Inades-Formation Tanzania (IFTz) in Tanzania.