Overview of awareness creation through school program in Songwe region Tanzania

In collaboration with TARI, CIMMYT, local seed producers, and the local government, the Center for Behavior Change and Communication (CBCC) embarked on a proactive initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of new, improved sorghum seed varieties, TARI SOR 1 & 2, through the school feeding program in Momba district, Tanzania. This initiative responded directly to the persistent food and nutrition insecurity prevalent in the area.The project targeted 20 schools, aiming to bolster productivity on school farms and thereby ease the financial burden on parents who contributed to the school feeding program. Concerns raised by teachers regarding the limited yield of local seeds, which yielded less than 200 kg per acre, underscored the urgent need for sustainable solutions. The low productivity observed on school farms was attributed to poor farming practices and inadequate extension support.To address these challenges, over 2,000 students and 50 teachers underwent training on good agronomi practices facilitated by dedicated youth champions. Already, the initiative has shown promising results, with parents visiting the Youth and Women Quality Centres (YWQC) to purchase the new seeds.