Dar es Salaam
In the high-stakes arena of African agriculture, Tanzania is rewriting its own narrative. For years, the country’s fast-growing livestock sector—especially poultry—has relied heavily on imported soy cake from Zambia and Malawi, exporting millions in foreign currency while fertile arable land remained underutilised. That model is now beginning to shift. Under the strategic umbrella of the Tanzania Sustainable Soybean Initiative (TSSI), coordinated through the AGCOT Centre partnership, a new biological asset has entered the market with the potential to reshape national food security: SANGE 01. Developed by Dr. Ambonesigwe Mbwaga, a seasoned scientist who successfully transitioned from public research to private-sector innovation, this variety represents more than a seed. It is a technological intervention designed to close Tanzania’s yield gap and anchor the rapidly expanding Soybean–Maize–Chicken value chain.
SANGE 01 emerges from an extensive screening of more than 20,000 genetic materials sourced from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Dr. Mbwaga set out to identify a “unicorn” variety—one capable of thriving under increasingly erratic climate conditions while satisfying strict commercial standards. The result is a robust, climate-resilient variety that has demonstrated stable performance across the release season, even under harsh environments and unpredictable rainfall from Morogoro to the Southern Highlands. It also showed strong tolerance to rust, a major fungal disease affecting soybean, with late-season attacks having minimal impact on yield. Under optimal management, SANGE 01 reaches yield levels of up to 3.0 tonnes per hectare, three times the average smallholder yield.
The variety’s appeal lies not only in scientific strength but also in its farmer-centred design. Farmers consistently expressed a preference for larger seeds, and this trait became a key selection criterion. The variety’s non-bushy structure also allows it to fit seamlessly into Tanzania’s common intercropping practice. Spacing at 10cm by 30cm enables farmers to plant two rows of maize alongside two rows of soybean, ensuring that adopting soybean as a cash crop does not jeopardise household food security. In a context where maize is both cultural and nutritional insurance, this compatibility is crucial.
A major reason SANGE 01 is already gaining traction is the TSSI model itself. One of agriculture’s recurring failures is the long “shelf-life of innovation,” where seeds are developed but never commercialised. TSSI breaks this cycle by integrating private-sector players early in the process. With structured demand built into the launch, Real World—one of the private partners within the TSSI ecosystem—purchased nearly the entire first batch of two tonnes of pre-basic seed. This validates the TSSI theory of change: when high-quality genetics are synchronized with market pull, adoption accelerates. For Tanzania’s target of producing 50,000 tonnes of soybean grain annually, this ecosystem model is indispensable.
SANGE 01 is also a macroeconomic asset. Tanzania’s poultry population stands at nearly 98 million birds, creating immense demand for soybean-derived protein. The variety’s chemical profile—12.8 percent oil content and 35.9 percent protein—makes it ideal for both edible oil extraction and feed manufacturing. Yet its implications go beyond industrial use. Dr. Mbwaga champions the role of soybean in addressing rural malnutrition through fortified flour, soy milk, and protein-rich blends that can support households, especially in communities where protein deficiency remains a persistent challenge.
Even with the scientific and commercial success of SANGE 01, the next phase requires synchronising the entire value chain. Dr. Mbwaga notes that while the seed gap is closing, the machinery gap persists. Investments are urgently needed in mechanical harvesters, portable extruders, and small-scale processors to reduce post-harvest losses and support domestic processing. Market linkages must also be better timed to ensure that seed production, farmer mobilisation, and off-taker commitments move in unison. This is where AGCOT’s corridor-led approach becomes essential, providing the structural backbone needed for coordination.
Ultimately, SANGE 01 represents more than an agricultural achievement—it is a demonstration of what becomes possible when the government builds an enabling policy environment, the private sector is engaged early, donors support system-wide integration, and local scientists are empowered to innovate. Now officially released and multiplying in the Southern Highlands, SANGE 01 stands as a new symbol of Tanzania’s potential. It is a forward-looking model that other African nations can replicate as they pursue food sovereignty and competitive agricultural transformation.
Quick Facts: SANGE 01 — Developed by Sange Agro-Seed Company Ltd; Yield potential of ~3 tonnes per hectare; Drought tolerant, rust resistant, and intercropping-compatible; Positioned to substitute soybean imports and support feed demand for 98 million chickens; Suitable for edible oil processing, animal feed production, and fortified nutritional products.