Tanzania’s agricultural productivity has long been constrained by weak seed systems, characterized by limited access to quality seed, fragmented regulation, and low private sector participation. These persistent challenges have hindered the country’s ability to scale climate-smart agriculture and strengthen national food security. In response, the Government of Tanzania, supported by the CGIAR Initiative on Ukama Ustawi and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the ASPIRES program, developed the Tanzania Seed Sector Development Strategy (TSSDS). The Strategy provides a coordinated national framework designed to modernize the seed sector, clearly align public and private sector roles, and attract essential investment for research, production, and distribution. The TSSDS sets ambitious targets, including doubling the area under improved seed and significantly expanding agro-dealer networks by 2030. Through this policy reform and partnership-driven approach, Tanzania is laying the foundation for a competitive, climate-resilient seed system that will drive agricultural transformation and ultimately benefit millions of smallholder farmers. Context and Ambition Tanzania’s agricultural sector depends heavily on smallholder farmers, yet less than one-third currently use improved seed varieties. The enabling environment for the seed sector remains fragmented and underperforming, characterized by weak coordination among public institutions, limited regulatory enforcement, and underinvestment across seed research, certification, and distribution systems. Specifically, private seed companies face significant entry barriers, inconsistent policies, and limited access to finance, while public research organizations struggle to supply sufficient breeder and foundation seed. As a direct result, low seed availability, inadequate quality assurance, and poor farmer adoption constrain both productivity and climate resilience. Overlapping agency mandates, slow variety release processes, and gaps in inspection and quality control further discourage innovation and undermine market trust. Moreover, regional trade potential remains largely untapped due to misaligned standards and weak border coordination. In the absence of a unified national strategy, interventions have been fragmented across various projects, leading to limited continuity or scalability. The TSSDS was therefore developed to address these persistent systemic barriers and to build a coordinated, market- oriented, and climate-resilient seed system capable of driving sustained agricultural transformation. Photo by IWMI 2 A combination of diagnostic tools was used to identify and address the enabling environment challenges within Tanzania’s seed sector. These included: Political Economy and Stakeholder Mapping; Institutional and Regulatory Analysis; and Market System Mapping. Additionally, policy coherence and investment landscape reviews evaluated alignment across ministries, funding flows, and private sector participation , complemented by public–private partnership readiness and capacity assessments to gauge implementation feasibility. Together, these diagnostics informed the design of the Strategy as a comprehensive framework for reform and scaling. The specific objectives were to support the Government of Tanzania in developing a coherent, evidence- based national strategy to guide the growth and modernization of the seed sector. The Strategy aims to strengthen institutional coordination, regulatory effectiveness, and research capacity while creating the necessary policy and investment conditions to attract private sector participation. It also seeks to expand farmers’ access to quality, climate-resilient seed and strengthen market linkages through an expanded agro-dealer network. In line with national targets, the Strategy aims to double the area under improved seed from 3 million to 6 million hectares and quadruple the number of agro-dealers from 3,000 to 12,000 by 2030. Creating the Enabling Environment for Scale To create the conditions for scaling Tanzania’s seed sector reform, the TSSDS process implemented a series of coordinated, practical solutions. First, inclusive policy dialogues were convened to align priorities and ensure a shared vision for reform across the Ministry of Agriculture, regulatory agencies, research institutions, and private seed companies. Multistakeholder technical working groups were established to guide implementation design and strengthen coordination between public and private actors. Second, capacity development activities were executed for key national institutions, including the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), the Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA), and the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI). These activities were designed to enhance their technical and regulatory roles in variety release, quality assurance, and seed certification. Finally, a public–private partnership (PPP) approach was embedded in the Strategy to attract investment into seed production, distribution infrastructure, and last-mile delivery. Additionally, financial de-risking and market development mechanisms were explored to stimulate broader private sector participation. Together, these interventions created a more coherent, coordinated, and investment-ready enabling environment for scaling the use of improved, climate- resilient seed across Tanzania. The TSSDS was developed through a comprehensive and participatory co-design process led by the Ministry of Agriculture with technical support from Ukama Ustawi, ASPIRES, and CGIAR centers. This involved extensive engagement through National and Zonal Consultations that brought together public institutions, private seed companies, farmer organizations, and development partners. The process used various methods for Dialogue and Analysis, such as multi-stakeholder dialogue forums to identify constraints and prioritize reforms, and expert sessions with TARI, ASA, and TOSCI to shape institutional strengthening measures. Furthermore, robust measures for Governance and Alignment were implemented, including policy mapping and analysis to trace governance and coordination bottlenecks, complemented by iterative reviews by the Seed Technical Committee, which ensured strong national ownership and alignment. Ultimately, this collaborative approach successfully produced a realistic, evidence- based strategy grounded in stakeholder priorities and institutional capacity. The Intervention and Actions The TSSDS introduced a coordinated set of policy, institutional, and investment actions to strengthen the enabling environment for scaling quality seed. The strategy formally positioned the Ministry of Agriculture as the lead coordinating body and formalized the Seed Technical Committee’s role to streamline variety release, certification, and regulatory oversight. It advanced a PPP approach, engaging private seed Photo by IWMITanzania Seed Sector Development Strategy Inception Meeting, Arusha 3 companies, agro-dealers, and farmer organizations to expand seed production, improve quality control, and strengthen last-mile distribution. Research and evidence from the TOSCI and CGIAR centers informed specific actions to enhance breeder and foundation seed supply, develop climate-resilient varieties, and improve quality assurance systems. Financial support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade enabled the critical national consultations, technical analyses, and stakeholder coordination that shaped the strategy and prepared it for implementation. Following the launch, the next phase focuses on developing an investment and implementation plan to guide financing, institutional accountability, and performance monitoring, collectively positioning Tanzania’s seed sector to transition from a fragmented system into a coordinated, market-oriented, and climate-resilient foundation for agricultural growth. Results and Impact The TSSDS represents a major milestone in strengthening national coordination and investment, having already secured strong government endorsement and institutional ownership under the Ministry of Agriculture, with the Seed Technical Committee serving as the central coordination platform. The Strategy successfully unifies more than 150 stakeholders, bringing together previously fragmented initiatives into one nationally guided framework that aligns around USD 300 million in potential investment toward seed system strengthening. This extensive consultation process has already yielded early outcomes, notably stronger collaboration among TOSCI, ASA, and TARI, alongside a more harmonized approach to variety release and certification, and growing private sector confidence in the regulatory and investment environment. The TSSDS also fostered strategic alignment with complementary regional initiatives, such as the World Bank–supported Food Systems Resilience Program, and reinforced partnerships with key donors. The upcoming launch will mark the formal transition from design to delivery, thereby positioning Tanzania to double the use of improved seed and expand agro-dealer networks by 2030. Reflection and Learning The development of the TSSDS offers key lessons on creating an enabling environment for scaling agricultural innovation. Sustained government leadership and institutional ownership are vital for coherence and long-term commitment. Early and meaningful private sector engagement was crucial, building trust and integrating practicality into policy design. Furthermore, an inclusive co-creation process proved essential for securing buy-in and identifying realistic solutions. The use of evidence-based diagnostics linking institutional, financial, and market bottlenecks helped target systemic reforms. Finally, donor alignment around a nationally owned framework was instrumental in shifting from fragmented efforts to a unified investment and delivery plan. Collectively, these lessons demonstrate that scaling agricultural innovation depends as much on political alignment and institutional capacity as on sound technical design and sustained public–private partnership. Affordability for Users The innovation is designed to be affordable for its intended end-users. As a publicly funded national framework, the TSSDS does not impose direct costs on farmers or private companies. Instead, it creates an enabling policy and investment environment that lowers barriers to participation. By improving coordination, streamlining regulation, and mobilizing public–private investment, the Strategy reduces transaction costs across the seed value chain, ultimately making quality seed more accessible and affordable for smallholder farmers. Financial Sustainability The TSSDS promotes financial sustainability by aligning public funding, donor support, and private investment Photo by IWMI Photo by IWMI Acknowledgements This work was carried out under the CGIAR Scaling for Impact (S4I) program. We would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund (www.cgiar.org/funders). Disclaimer: This publication has been prepared as an output of S4I and has not been independently peer-reviewed. Responsibility for editing, proofreading, and layout, opinions expressed, and any possible errors lies with the authors and not the institutions involved. Boundaries used in the maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of CGIAR concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Borders are approximate and cover some areas for which there may not yet be full agreement. Copyright © 2025 International Water Management Institute (IWMI).  This work is licensed under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Suggested citation: Ires, I. 2025. Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture through the Tanzania Seed Sector Development Strategy. Enabling Environment Success and Failure Stories. Nairobi, Kenya: International Water Management Institute and CGIAR Scaling for Impact program. within a single national framework. Implementation emphasizes cost-sharing and co-investment with private seed companies and agro-dealers. This improved coordination and reduced duplication create significant economies of scale in seed production, certification, and distribution, making the entire system more efficient and less dependent on continuous external subsidies. Inclusivity and Responsible Scaling (GenderUp Framework): Stage 1 & 2 - Exploring User Diversity: The TSSDS focused on key dimensions of diversity relevant to the seed sector, particularly land ownership and scale of operation. Both smallholder and large-scale farmers were engaged to capture differences in access to improved seed, market linkages, and support services. By addressing these variations, the Strategy promotes a more balanced and inclusive seed system. Stage 3 - Anticipating Differentiated Consequences: The Strategy recognized potential risks such as market consolidation favoring large seed companies and the exclusion of smallholders with limited resources or land. Simultaneously, scaling the seed system presents opportunities to empower smallholders through improved access to quality seed, training, and market linkages. Stage 4 - Mitigating Risks and Embracing Opportunities: To address the differentiated consequences identified, the Strategy actively mitigates risks by promoting fair competition, supporting small and medium seed enterprises (SMEs), and strengthening extension services designed to reach resource-poor farmers. Furthermore, capacity-building and partnership initiatives link smaller actors to markets and finance, ensuring that scaling benefits are more equitably shared. https://www.cgiar.org/cgiar-research-porfolio-2025-2030/scaling-for-impact/ http://www.cgiar.org/funders