Tropentag, September 16 - 18, 2015 in Berlin, Germany "Management of land use systems for enhanced food security – conflicts, controversies and resolutions"

Trans-SEC - Innovating Strategies to Safeguard Food Security Using Technology and Knowledge Transfer – Current Status

¹Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Inst. for Land Use Systems, Germany
²Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Inst. of Socio-Economics, Germany
³Sokoine University of Agriculture, Dept. of Agric. Economics & Agribusiness, Tanzania
⁴Sokoine University of Agriculture, Dept. of Agric. Engin. & Land Planning, Tanzania

Abstract

Food security is one of the most pressing constraints in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Site-specific upgrading strategies (UPS) can improve the food situation; however, it is necessary to understand the local and region-specific food systems. The collaborative research project Trans-SEC is targeted to enhance the Food Security for the most vulnerable rural population in Tanzania. It is composed by 12 institutions from Germany, Tanzania, and 2 International Research Institutions.. Trans-SEC focuses on entire Food Value Chains (FVC) and its nexus elements and integrates the specific cultural, political, social, ecological and economic environments. Another key aspect is the broad stakeholder's involvement.
Trans-SEC has four case study sites (CSS) in two contrasting regions (semi-arid, sub-humid). The focal crops are maize and sesame (in the sub-humid region) and millet and sunflower (in the semi-arid region), also including intercropped commodities such as pigeon pea and groundnuts or other crops if adding high value to the food system. Trans-SEC so far has achieved several core outcomes:
1) a baseline survey of 150 households in the four CSS and two more villages (as control) and
2) a complete typology of the FVC of the CSS;
3) a stakeholders mapping along the FVC was completed for the four CSS.
4) Thirteen UPS for testing selected using participatory methods
7) UPS implementation groups, which are monitored.
8) business plans and innovation funds have been set up for UPS implementation
Besides the implementation of the UPS, the next steps include the monitoring and analyses for all five FVC components, the evaluation and (ex-post) impact assessment of UPS, and dissemination.

Keywords: Food security, food value chains, Tanzania, upgrading strategies

Contact Address: Frieder Graef, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Inst. for Land Use Systems, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany, e-mail: graefzalf.de