Between 2013 and 2022, WorldVeg distributed an amazing 457,172 packets of seed of promising genetic material or that contains WorldVeg germplasm to farmers and schools in Eastern, Southern, and West Africa for direct cultivation. Most contain varieties of traditional African vegetables, alongside some other exotic and conventional crops, are they were packaged together in 103,509 seed kits each that were either delivered directly by WorldVeg or via implementing partners in the different countries, through a large number of diverse projects. Each seed kit also contains information sheets in local languages on the different crops, nutritional content, and how to grow them. Many recipients also receive hand-on training on appropriate agricultural practices.

Project staff witnessed how these eagerly sown and grown by farmers and in school gardens, but a question remained – whether such one-time distribution of seed kits had a long term impact in increasing and diversity production and consumption of nutritious vegetables? So, WorldVeg scientists undertook research in several areas in Tanzania, to assess the sustainability of this approach, with the results published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems in December 2023 (Frontiers | Sustainability of one-time seed distributions: a long-term follow-up of vegetable seed kits in Tanzania (frontiersin.org)).

The team revisited households that received WorldVeg vegetable seed kits and training 5-10 years previously, and asked them if they were still using the same seed varieties they had received. The key finding was that about a quarter of those interviewed were still growing the same crops, i.e. they had saved seed from one year to the next. The success rate was higher for traditional African vegetables than for exotic or conventional vegetables, and seed saving and production was practiced more by women than by men. The most popular vegetables were Chinese cabbage (grown by 56% of respondents) and amaranth (53%), followed by African nightshade (34%), pumpkin leaves (27%) and kale (21%).

The study also made a number of recommendations, to be considered for future interventions. Seed production and seed saving training should be done more than once, and should target groups rather than individual farmers. Vegetable production and nutrition training should be done in village meetings, to reach more people. The quantity of seeds per packet (usually 2 grams) should be increased, especially for crops with large seeds such as okra, and farmers should be more involved in the selection of the crops and varieties to be included. Also, vegetable seed kits should be distributed multiple times, instead of just a single time, and more regular follow ups should be made.

Extrapolating the data suggests that of approximately 100,000 seed kit recipients over the years, some 25,000 households continue to benefit from growing a wider diversity of improved traditional African vegetables, increasing family nutrition, with some also earning more income through sales. And by following the recommendations of this study, the percentage of those who carry on growing their new crops will only increase. Also, farmers tend share seeds with their friends and neighbors and other research has proved that this spread new varieties extensively, although this has not yet been measured by WorldVeg.

Wanyama R, Mvungi H, Luoga R, Mmasi M, Zablon E, N’Danikou S, Schreinemachers P. 2023. Sustainability of one-time seed distributions: a long-term follow-up of vegetable seed kits in Tanzania. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7:1281692. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1281692