Community-managed seed systems for improved last mile access to quality seed of common bean and groundnut by smallholder farmers in Tanzania

Millions of smallholder farmers in Tanzania grow common beans and groundnuts as food and income sources, as well as for diet diversification. However, farm-level productivity of these opportunity crops remains persistently low across many African countries. Despite the availability of newly released varieties with potential yields of about 2.0 tons per hectare, average productivity in Tanzania remains significantly lower—approximately 0.90 t/ha for groundnuts and 1.4 t/ha for beans. Several factors contribute to this productivity gap, including limited access to quality seed, disease pressure, erratic rainfall, and weak market linkages among seed system value chain actors. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts to ensure farmers have access to affordable, high-quality seeds, enabling them to realize the genetic potential of improved varieties.