Tanzania Reports Sharp Drop in Counterfeit Seed Cases but Finds 13 Violators in Recent Inspections

Deputy Minister for Agriculture David Silinde told legislators in Dodoma on 8 June 2026 that reported cases of counterfeit seeds in Tanzania fell from 325 in 2014/15 to 10 in 2023/24. Silinde said the decline followed the use of digital verification systems, regular inspections of seed outlets and farmer education programmes.

He was responding to a question raised by Japhet Hasunga (Vwawa-CCM) on behalf of Onesmo Mnkondya (Mbozi-CCM).

Under Section 15 of the Seed Act (Chapter 308, Revised Edition 2023), all seeds sold in Tanzania must be certified by the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI). TOSCI has introduced electronic labels for seed companies. Farmers verify seed authenticity by scratching a label and entering a unique code on their mobile phones.

Inspections conducted by TOSCI between July 2025 and January 2026 found 13 traders involved in the sale of counterfeit seeds or substandard seeds. One court case has been filed against a trader, while investigations continue into the remaining 12 traders. Between November 2025 and 18 January 2026, 5,822 farmers received training through the Mali Shambani campaign.

An additional 6,763 farmers accessed services through the Customer Service Centre during the same period. In a supplementary question, Hasunga noted that many farmers have only basic education and asked how they would be taught to use the electronic labels.

Hasunga also described the sale of counterfeit seeds as economic sabotage and asked whether the government would impose tougher penalties, including capital punishment.

Silinde said the government would continue education through agricultural extension officers deployed to village level to teach farmers how to distinguish genuine seeds from counterfeit ones. Legal measures are being taken against sellers of counterfeit seeds across the country, Silinde added.