Grain trader seed delivery model for groundnut in Tanzania: Mavuno Improvement for Community Relief and Services
Between 2024-2026 in Kagera, Tanzania, TARI, ACCELERATE and partners supported MAVUNO to pilot a grain trader-led seed model linking 921 farmers to improved groundnut seed and oil markets to boost adoption, productivity and reduce edible oil imports.
- crops
- community health workers
- value chains
Grain trader seed delivery model for groundnut in Tanzania: Mavuno Improvement for Community Relief and Services
Between 2024-2026 in Kagera, Tanzania, TARI, ACCELERATE and partners supported MAVUNO to pilot a grain trader-led seed model linking 921 farmers to improved groundnut seed and oil markets to boost adoption, productivity and reduce edible oil imports.
Groundnut is the most widely grown legume in Tanzania, cultivated predominantly by smallholder farmers and commonly referred to as a “women’s crop” (Ngoma-Kasanda and Sichilima, 2016), reflecting the key role it plays in women’s agricultural livelihoods. Beyond household consumption, groundnut serves as an important cash crop. Because it can be stored in pods and sold quickly when cash is needed, many farmers use it as a form of “savings account.” Groundnut also holds significant value in processing, especially for peanut butter and edible oil production.
Despite its significance, access to quality seed of improved groundnut varieties remains a major challenge in Tanzania and across much of Africa. This persists even though several improved varieties with enhanced disease tolerance and climate resilience have been developed by the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) in collaboration with partners such as the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).