Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), through its centres of Dakawa, Ifakara, Uyole and Ukiriguru, implement a one-year project titled Enhancing Farmers' Access to Quality seed by Promoting Improved Rice Varieties in Tanzania starting from 2023 rice growing season. The objective of this project, which is financed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) through Seed Systems Product Management program (SSPM), is to showcase of the newly released improved rice varieties to farmers and other stakeholders in the rice value chain in rice growing areas, in both rain-fed and irrigated lowlands. Also, it intends to enhance fast tracked collection of data of yield parameters and other preferred phenotypic traits of pipe lines of rice - at advanced stages of breeding - making testing of them at scale with farmers and other stakeholders, which serve for rapid registration and release of a new rice variety over conventionally .  In order to do so, the project deploys a triadic comparisons of technology option approach (tricot) along with varietal cafeterias (or crop cafeteria) for demonstrating diverse rice varieties.

Through implementing tricots, in testing the varieties and pipe lines, farmers get aware of the varieties, trained of good agronomic practices for rice production and so adoption of adaptable variety of the traits they prefer to enhanced. Each tricot trial tested 10 pipe lines and/or varieties sourced from TARI Dakawa, Ifakara and IRRI. Mean whilst demo plots - strategically located at sites near to the roads, accessible to majority farmers and carefully established in fields of farmers who cheerfully interact with fellows - will host field days intended to serve the purpose of promoting and providing an opportunity to witness relative performances of quality and best rice seed for accelerating uptake by farmers and other consumers of five varieties namely Komboka, TARI RIC1, TARI RIC2, TARI RIC3 and TXD306-the popular SARO 5 having different maturity period, stature and purpose (grain or dual) along with suitable agro-production technologies. With rice varietal cafeterias, we dealt with the already released varieties.  

One field day along with the varietal cafeteria is planned to be conducted in each of the districts benefiting from the project. These events are upcoming and will also bring together an array of stakeholders in the rice value chain from village and ward levels,which again will create avenue for awareness creation of new varieties and their characteristics, and enhance network building among the participants, to mention few.

In season 2023, TARI Dakawa has implemented 20 tricot trials and three demonstration plots in three districts of Mvomero and Kilosa in Morogoro, and Korogwe in Tanga region. In their establishment and management farmers willingly participated. In general, all tricot trials and varietal cafeterias perform well except a few failed due to prolonged drought and floods (abiotic stresses). As earlier noted, data for determining yield and other attributes, and field management for each variety are collected for analysis.