Tanzania, June 8 -- Masasi. Six months ago, Mr Abdeleheman Saidi feared he would never be able to send his daughter, Safina, to college.

Today, as he walks through his five-acre family farm in Mipande Village, Masasi District, he is optimistic that a bumper sesame harvest will finally enable his daughter to pursue her dream of becoming an accountant.

Mr Saidi is among more than 9,000 farmers in southern Tanzania who received improved sesame seeds distributed by the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) as part of efforts to boost productivity and improve farmers' incomes.

The initiative saw COPRA distribute 13 tonnes of improved sesame seeds to farmers in Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma regions. Beneficiaries were selected fr...