The advice was made by the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Shaban Hussein, adding that the hybrid seeds are among 11 varieties developed at the institution by local researchers and code named WEMA 2109 and developed at Ilonga Agricultural Institute in Kilosa.
“The research is conducted through the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project which is being undertaken in Sub- Sahara Africa to enhance food security by developing and deploying drought and insert resistant varieties to smallholder farmers.
“Many farmers in the country are faced with numerous challenges, including low productivity, drought, pests and diseases, the research on the new seeds aim to address these challenges,” Mr. Hussein told the farmers’ representatives at Malengo Farmers’ Group in Kerege, Coast region recently. He further pointed out that at COSTECH, they aim to ensure that results of the researches are conducted through their coordination and are shared with consumers, saying that agriculture is key in the industrialization agenda being championed by the government.
A researcher who conducted one of the studies at the institution, Mr. Mikidadi Hamidu, explained to the group that the new variety can guarantee a farmer 35 sacks of about 3,500 kilogrammes per acre in comparison to 10 bags of about 1,000 kilogrammes in the same area from the conventional seeds. “All it takes is for a farmer adhere to proper farming methods such as early preparation of the farms, proper spacing and use of fertilizers among others to attain the best results with this new variety,” the researcher pointed out.
As part of familiarizing with the new seed, the farmers and COSTECH have embarked on a nationwide campaign to introduce the variety to farmers in some demonstration farms, where they are given firsthand demonstrations on how to use the new seeds. On his side, Bagamoyo District Commissioner (DC), Mr. Majid Mwanga, thanked COSTECH for the move, noting that its initiative was assuring and providing farmers with quality seeds that will increase their yields.
“Maize is the second food crop in Coast region after cassava and we hope the new technology will enable us produce more of the crop. We have had problems of food shortage in the past, but now it is history,” he commented.
Presiding over the occasion, Coast Regional Agricultural Officer, Mr. George Kapilima, said the area last year produced 110,000 tonnes of maize, where 65,000 tonnes came from Chalinze district alone. However, Kibindu Local Councilor, Mr. Ramadhani Mkufya, asked the researchers to develop a technology that will kill rodents, which he said have been a menace to farmers in the area.