As the effects of the persistent climate change continue to take a toll on the country’s staple food, local maize breeders have urged local farmers to embrace new farming patterns of the crop.
This they said will not only help farmers achieve a bumper harvest but will also help revolutionize maize farming thus enhancing the country’s food security.
The principal Research Scientist at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO) Murenga Mwimali said in partnership with various stakeholders, local scientists have through high Bio-Technology skills developed numerous improved hybrids which have been tried and tested.
He said the farmers can purchase them depending on the ecology suitability.
Speaking in Kutus on Friday during a farmers’ field day, Mwimali said the certified hybrids are endowed with stress-tolerant features thus increasing survival rates as compared to the conventional and frequently rain-fed types which are adversely affected by harsh weather and diseases.
He cited the Water Efficient Maize For Africa (WEMA) which has been developed in partnership with the Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and other national and international players as one of the maize hybrid varieties that is drought resistant and recommendable for farmers in Arid and Semi-Arid areas.
Owing to their high adaptability levels to various ecologies, and their drought and disease-resistant qualities, the researcher said the species have the ability to mature faster within a period of 3 to 4 months and produce more and better yields.
He noted that there are about 55 major improved varieties under the WEMA hybrid which have been developed and released by the Kenya Planters Inspectorate Service out of which about 12 varieties have been distributed to the local seed companies.
He noted that each variety is designed for specific areas in line with environmental and climatic factors and as such has had a growing demand not only in the country but regionally.
“We extract the very best parent’s strains from different varieties of maize seeds and combine them in order to achieve the very best and quality seeds. Considering that we are faced with recurrent drought in Kenya, these seeds come in handy and are able to withstand the effects of climate change.”
Owing to its high quality, the certified variety has not only been embraced locally but also in countries like Nigeria where farmers are growing the variety,” he said.
Mwimali added that in the case of Mwea, which is the semi–arid section of Kirinyaga County, farmers have since successfully grown the WE 3106 and WE 4141v arities and have reaped their values.
He however cautioned the farmers against recycling hybrid seeds as it leads to a decline in yields and production levels.
“In order for farmers to realize the benefits accrued with planting hybrid seeds, farmers are discouraged from recycling them as it leads to a decline in their potential to produce higher yields.”
Gideon Mugo Makanga, the chairperson for ICOSEEDS lauded the improved maize breeds saying it will go a long way in tackling hunger in the Country through increased maize cultivation owing to its high adaptability levels in dry regions.
Cultivating the new seed variety he said is in line with the government’s agenda of increasing food self-sufficiency and as such called on farmers to put in the effort and grow more maize.
“In Kirinyaga we have grown both the WE 3106 in slightly wet areas and WE 4141 in dry areas and so far we have had impeccable results as the seeds are water conservative. This is then to urge all farmers to embrace the farming of the seedlings in order to help the government realize its vision of sustainable food security,” he said.
