Presentation Flow
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Introduction
Seed product portfolio
Seed Production Progress
Marketing and Promotional Activities
Farmers Feedbacks
Target markets
Challenges
Way Forward and Future Plans
Proposed areas of collaboration and partnership
Acknowledgment
Introduction
Establishment: July 2005, seed production 2008/2009
season
Headquartered in Arusha,
Branch offices Mbeya, Mwanza and Morogoro
Activity Coverage: All regions with the exception of few
regions.
Currently employing 45 employees.
Working in partnership with CIMMYT, AGRA, AATF and
Local National Research Institutes.
Introduction
Vision
To strive to become a model local company
dedicated to increase farmer’s productivity
Mission
To provide comprehensive agricultural input
package for farmers through intensive supply of
improved seeds, agrochemicals, fertilizers and
oversee application of recommended Good
Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Introduction
 Currently the company deals with agro input business
1.
Multiplication and distribution of seeds
 Main crops are Maize, Sunflower, Paddy.
 Other beans and sorghum
 Through Collaboration with CIMMYT we have released seven new maize
varieties (Meru HB 623, Meru HB 515, Meru HB 513, Meru HB 405, Meru IR
621, Meru SB 507 and Meru HB 509)
 Currently marketed varieties (Meru HB 623, Meru HB 515, Meru HB 513,
Meru HB 405, Meru IR 621,)
 Last year production volumes are <1,200 tones while new hybrid varieties
were 965 tone
2.
Importation and distribution of pesticides
 Registered our own brands with Tropical Pesticides Institute (TPRI) currently
thirty five products
3.
Importation and distribution of agricultural equipments
 Mainly agricultural sprayers
Introduction
4.
Provision of technical agricultural advisory services
 Training on farmers groups on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
and establishment of demonstration plots.
 Have been working with TAP and PIP Coleacip
5.
Conducts adaptive agricultural research –to address issue
facing farmers
 Drought, soil fertility, diseases, insect pests (stem borers and
storage pests), nutirional
6.
Farming
 Leased farm in Mbozi 400ha
 Own farm in Tanga
 Looking for more farms
Operational Structure
 Arusha: head quarters
 Seed Production and Processing.
 Marketing and distribution of all products
 Zone Offices

Mbeya
 Seed Production and Processing.
 Marketing and distribution of all products

Mwanza and morogoro
 Marketing and distribution of all products
 2015/2016 season plan.

Kahama - processing hubs for lake zone.
 Regional Representation Tabora, Bariadi, Songea
 Marketing and distribution of all products
 Currently seed production is done by using contract growers and leased farm
Seed Product portfolio
Challenges faced by farmers in Maize production
 Current small scale farmers challenges are:
1.
2.
Rainfall: erratic, unpredictable, shorter wet season, long dry spells.
Soil nutrient depletion: in major maize farming areas.
 Small scale farmers do not apply or they do apply very little fertilizers.
 Results to Poor crop fields and hence low yields.
3. Inadequate of stress tolerant varieties –DT, Low N, diseases (MNL) and shortmedium maturating varieties that may help small scale farmers
 Increase crop yields with little fertilizer application (50Kg/ha)
 Protect the environment
 Reduce the input costs.
 Ensure food security.
4. Pests –stem borers and storage pests
5.High prices particular for imported seeds.
6. Nutritional – QPM, Pro-vitamin A.
7. High Laborer costs for field operation
Seeds portfolio
S/N
1
High yielding
under Low
Nitrogen doses
( Low -N)
2
Resistance to most
common maize
leaf disease (Grain
leaf disease,
Maize strike virus
disease)
3.
Moderate tolerant
against Maize
Lethal Necrosis
Disease (MLN)
4
Stem Borer
resistance
High yielding under low
top dressing fertilizers

High yielding under marginal
lands

Gives assurance of harvest in
areas affected by leaf disease.



5
6
Good tip cover
7
High grain yield
potential per acre
8
White hard
kernel/Grain
9
Variety Maturity

Gives assurance of harvest
in low rainfall areas.
Gives assurance of harvest
in short rainfall years

Assurance of benefit/gain from
agriculture, with small farm
area but high harvest.
Has god pound ability and gives
more flour.
Sweet corn hence suitable for
roasted
Most suited for the current
climatic changes.
Suited for roasted corn
Business
Gives highest harvest



Has double cob
Well adapted to
medium and high
altitude (10001800 meters)
Give assurance in stem borer
prone areas
Reduces insecticide cost in
prodution
Prevents maize from cob rot
disease.

11
Gives assurance of good harvest
against MLN infested areas in
Tanzania


10
Meru HB
405


Drought tolerant
Variety
Farmer Benefits
Attribute

Widely
adopted
ecologies 
range
of
Meru
SB 507
Meru
HB 509
Meru
HB 513
Meru
HB 515
Meru
IR 621
Meru
HB 623
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30-40
30-40
30-40
30-40
40-50
40-50
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90-100
days
100-110
days
100-120
days
100-110
days
100-110
days
110-120
days
120-140
days
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25-30
Seed Production Progress
• This year is our 7th season in seed production
• Crops produced maize, sunflower, sorghum,
beans, rice.
• Seed production progress is summarized in
the table below.
08/09 09/10
10/11
11/12
12/13
13/14
Year
Production (t)
Production
Increase (%)
Carryover stock
70
131.80 424.93 427.61 658.62 1262.9
88.29
222.41
0.63
54.02
63.67
127.75
Marketing and Promotional Activities
 Demonstration and field days- done through company staff and
partners (NGO’s and DAICO office)
 Small packs: distributed through FIPS, Extension officers, agro
dealers and Company marketing team
 Radio Advert: before and during planting season.
 Participation in agricultural shows
 Farmer group training on GAP and new variety merits
 Promotional Materials
 Leaflets, brochures
 Posters
 Rollup burners
 Cups, t-shirts etc.
 Distribution network development
HB513 Demo plot at Nane Nane Ground in Arusha
Market Feedback
• We have received field crop photos via Whatsapp
from individual farmers.
1.Very Good Crop Stand
2.Very Prolific –two –three cob/plants
• Free coverage in local magazine and radio – mainly
done by agricultural officers
1.In some of the districts –they put signage in
some of the farmers fields
• Many appreciate stay green characteristic.
Lesson Learnt
• The most effective methods are
 Demonstration and field days
Small packs
Agricultural shows
• Good planning and timing is of paramount
important.
 Demo plot planting
 Field days organization
• Farmers are risk averse –they want to see first
Target Market
The market targets are the Northern zone,
Southern zones and lake zone of Tanzania
Bases for the selections
1. Major maize farming regions in Tanzania.
2. Due to monoculture practices- soils are now depleted
of nutrients.
3. Northern and lake zone are now receiving less and
erratic rainfalls due to climatic changes
4. Easy Logistics- promotion and distribution reasons.
Challenges
• As a new variety there is lack of awareness
among small holder farmers.
• Our coverage is still limited
• Financial capacity
• To invest in scale up of production, promotion,
processing machineries, processing inputs and labor.
• Evaluation, release and production of new varieties to
address the current farmers challenge.
Way Forward and Future Plans
• Financing
 Investing slowly by using own resources.
 looking for partners to support the scale up and
promotion activities.
 Looking around for a soft loan with friendly
interest rate & friendly payment terms
• Continue with the evaluation of new materials in
light to current challenges facing the farmers
Proposed areas of collaboration and partnership.
• In this season 2015, through Cimmyt we had partnership in
establishment of demonstration plots and field day in Babati
and evaluation and release of new varieties.
• Hence we propose that:-
scale up of production of the new variety.
Scaling up field demonstration plots and field days in new
areas – Southern Highland and Lake zones.
Acknowledgement
On Behalf of
Meru Agro
Thank you very much.
What Made Meru Agro Succeed
Careful planning:
 Crop choice (few that are on demand)
 Good genetics (good hybrids that nick, high yielding female lines)
 Selection of agro-dealers and training them
 Mode of production (producing in different locations to avert drought)
 Marketing strategy
 Financial support received (Agra, Cimmyt, AATF)
 Reinvesting proceeds back in business
 Training received
 Investment in own modern farm machinery to have operations done on
time
 Keeping an eye on quality and customer care
 Partnership and collaboration with stakeholders