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We’ve no seeds, farmers complain
2006-03-13 07:43:29
By Patrick Kisembo, Same
An acute shortage of seeds has forced Same district, Kilimanjaro Region, to plant maize given to them recently by the government as relief food.
A visit by The Guardian to the district established that the majority of farmers in the area have no seeds and the little available in the market is sold at exorbitant prices.
Jackson Kisaka, who received 12kg of maize as relief food said he had planted all the maize.
’’I have already tried the seeds on my farm and they are germinating,’’ he said.
Kisaka received the relief food on two different occasions. He said that since he had no seeds at all, he had opted to plant what the government has given them as relief food.
’’What we were given last time is now growing. I will make sure I spare some 2kg of maize from this ration as seed material,’’ he said.
He said without relief food, they would have gone to work as labourers for well rich families to get 1,000/- to buy seeds.
Mwanahamisi Abeid, a mother of four, said seeds is a major problem to them.
Experts warn that germination of fumigated maize seeds and other crops is a 50-50 per cent chance.
’’We are going to plant these same grains. It is better to get loss than not trying at all,’’ Mwanaidi said.
Joseph Abraham a resident of Majengomapya, said it has become a habit for local people to use part of relief food as seed material.
’’Seeds here are very expensive. A kilo of maize seeds is sold at 5,000/-, which many people cannot afford,’’ he said.
This is the reason why people have resorted to using the relief food as seeds.
At Makanya ward villagers said they had to use the relief food as seeds, because the long rains season had started.
Esther Salimu, found at a maize mill, said the possibility of people using relief food, as seeds is high.
’’There is enough moisture in the soil now and people depend on that moisture to plant maize and other crops. It is difficult for them to just sit back and wait for government seeds,’’ she said.
Daudi Reuben, a farmer, had this to say: ’’This is the right time to plant maize and other crops. People have no seeds and even these you see have been given to me by a relative in Moshi. In fact they are not seeds, but normal grains.’’
He said that it was wrong for people in Makanya and neighbouring Hedaru to use any type of grains as seeds.
’’If one wants to plant good crops here, they must get special seeds that are suited for this semi-arid area.
Seeds meant for high rain potential areas such as Mbeya, Rukwa or Iringa are not ideal for this area. It is too dry,’’ he said.
Reuben could not rule out the possibility of using relief food as seeds. He said: ”Yes we can use relief food as seeds.
Ward leaders in Hedaru and Makanya talked of the high possibility of more residents using relief food as seeds.
In his monthly address to the nation, President Jakaya Kikwete promised to offer seeds to areas in need.
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