February 13, 2026
In Swahili, safi means clean. It can also mean pure, clear, or simply good – something that feels right.
That meaning reflects what we set out to achieve.
Pumpkin has strong potential in Tanzania and across East Africa.
It is already part of everyday diets, used in stews, soups, porridge and baby food and in some communities even the leaves are eaten. Strengthening pumpkin production does not require changing habits; it builds on foods families already know and trust.
From a farming perspective, pumpkin is practical and adaptable. It performs well in coastal, mid-altitude and some semi-arid areas, and can be grown by smallholder farmers with relatively low input requirements.
At the same time, demand is gradually rising.
Growing cities such as Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, Nairobi and Kampala need affordable, nutritious food. Pumpkins with good shelf life and attractive orange flesh appeal strongly to traders and consumers, while high-yielding varieties offer better returns per acre.
Pumpkin also fits well into mixed farming systems, helping farmers diversify income and manage risk.
For these reasons, we launched SAFI: to strengthen productivity, improve market appeal, and unlock the full potential of pumpkin in Tanzania and across East Africa.
Grow SAFI. Grow opportunity.
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