African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) have the potential to increase food and nutritional security and contribute to improved livelihoods, but farmers’ capacity to meet the growing demand for them has been constrained by a lack of good quality seed and technical know-how.

The Good Seed Initiative (GSI), funded by Irish Aid and active in Tanzania from 2013 to 2015, targeted both seed and vegetable growers, linking them to markets through an innovation platform (IP) approach. Production and utilization of quality AIV seeds has increased in Arusha and Dodoma, and cultivation of AIVs (both seed and vegetables) has increased farmers’ incomes and improved food and nutritional security for their communities. Project approaches such as farmer-to-farmer training, IPs and entrepreneurship have helped achieve sustainable linkages and improved livelihoods.