During the National and International Agriculture Exhibition (Nanenane) held at Nzuguni Grounds in Dodoma, SHIWAKUTA had the honour of welcoming Mr. Nyasebwa Chimagu, Director General of the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), who made a distinguished 20-minute visit to the SHIWAKUTA exhibition booth.

During his visit to the SHIWAKUTA booth,  Mr. Chimangu expressed deep appreciation for SHIWAKUTA’s commitment to advancing agroecology through the conservation, production, development and promotion of Farmer-Managed Seed Systems.

Mr. Chimagu was particularly captivated by the indigenous red sorghum and traditional finger millet carefully conserved by Ms. Foibe Nhonya, a smallholder farmer from Dodoma. Reflecting on their value, he remarked, “These are the seeds that raised me. I grew up eating food produced from these indigenous varieties, and seeing them here brings back an important part of our agricultural heritage.”

Impressed by the rarity and quality of the seeds, Mr. Chimagu acknowledged that he had not seen these indigenous varieties anywhere else except at the SHIWAKUTA booth. He added, “Protecting indigenous seeds is not only about preserving our past; it is about securing our future. We must continue supporting farmers who conserve this invaluable genetic heritage.” In a practical demonstration of his support, he personally purchased 20 kilograms of indigenous red sorghum and another 20 kilograms of traditional finger millet.

This statement highlights the strong connection between indigenous seeds, food culture, and the history of farmers’ communities. For many, these seeds are not only a source of food but also an important part of their agricultural heritage, passed down from one generation to the next. Impressed by the uniqueness and quality of seeds, Mr. Chimagu noted that he had never seen such indigenous seed varieties anywhere else except at the SHIWAKUTA booth.

“He emphasized the importance of advancing seed protection. Protecting indigenous seeds is a matter of preserving our history and ensuring the security of our future lives. We should continue to support farmers who preserve the valuable genetic heritage of these seeds.”

This statement emphasizes the importance of giving farmers opportunities and the support they deserve to preserve and advance indigenous seeds. Farmers play an important role in safeguarding agricultural biodiversity by preserving various types of seeds that are suitable for the environment, provide nutritional benefits, and meet the needs of their communities.

Commending SHIWAKUTA’s unwavering efforts, Mr. Chimagu applauded the Federation for identifying, conserving, multiplying, and promoting farmer-managed indigenous seeds. His visit sent a powerful message that indigenous seeds remain the foundation of biodiversity, climate resilience, food sovereignty, and sustainable agroecological food systems for generations to come.

The visit of the TOSCI Director delivered a powerful message emphasizing the importance of indigenous seeds in building sustainable food security. These seeds play a role in preserving biodiversity, strengthening resilience to climate change, promoting food sovereignty, and advancing food systems based on agroecological principles.

For SHIWAKUTA, this visit is an important recognition of the work carried out by smallholder farmers to preserve the heritage of indigenous seeds. Mr. Chimagu’s statement, ‘These are the seeds that raised me,’ carries a powerful message: protecting indigenous seeds is not only about preserving our history, but also about investing in food security, the environment, our culture, and the future of generations to come.