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DT Maize Vol. 4 No. 3 September 2015

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The latest edition of DTMaize bulletin in 2015 focuses on maize production in Kenya. Maize accounts for 40 percent of all crop area, and is Kenya’s most important crop, accounting for more than 51 percent of all staples grown in the country. Maize is produced for both home consumption and market – with small-scale farmers only selling an estimated 20 percent of their production. The bulletin also highlights the end of Africa’s two key maize projects – the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa and Improved Maize for African Soils – that wind up after 8 and 5 years (respectively) of maize work in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Transforming maize farming failures to successes in Kenya’s drylands

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<p>“I got over three bags of 50 kilograms each this season [despite drought] from my one-and-quarter-acre farm. This is amazing! I have never harvested anything beyond one-and-a-half bags in the past.”</p>
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By Brenda Wawa

Drought is one of the biggest challenges that rain-dependent farmers in Africa face. As a result, millions of smallholders and their families become increasingly vulnerable to crop failure that leads to hunger and deeper poverty. What options do smallholders have in the face of drought?

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Sarah’s smile is due to KDV4 drought-tolerant maize. Her first-time ‘drought insurance’ venture has paid off, and she’s harvested more despite the drought than she normally does even in good years.
Photo credit: B. Wawa/CIMMYT

For Mrs. Sarah Nyamai, a farmer from Kalimoni Village in Machakos County, Kenya, maize farming was not a priority until three years ago. She did not take maize farming very seriously – despite the fact that maize has been a staple food in her home for a long time – largely because of very poor yields often blamed on the unforgiving climate that characterizes eastern Kenya.

However, harsh climate is not the only problem that Sarah and hundreds of other farmers in her locality are grappling with. Poor-quality seed makes a bad situation much worse. This means that the likelihood of harvesting enough for the family table is very low. And this, despite the considerable time and resources farmers invest in working the land.

The pain when there is no gain… and the ’insurance’ DT maize offers in bad years

“There is nothing as bad as buying food when you can grow it in your farm. Money needs to be used to buy other necessities but not food. Not when you can grow and harvest to feed your family,” Sarah observes.

The planting season in Kalimoni Village falls during the March–May long rains. This year, the rainfall was not only very low but also poorly distributed, spelling doom for any good harvest.

Despite this bleak outlook, there is hope for farmers who took preventive measures. Sarah’s face lights up as she harvests a healthy maize cob on her one-and-a-quarter-acre farm. She planted – for the first time – a drought-tolerant (DT) maize variety called KDV4. Her ‘drought insurance’ venture paid off, and she has much to smile about. “I got over three bags of 50 kilograms each this season from my one-and-quarter-acre farm. This is amazing! I have never harvested anything beyond one-and-a-half bags in the past. This is very good seed! And it tastes better too!” Sarah enthuses.

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A picture of robust health and vitality: like most other improved DT maize varieties, KDV4 truly comes into its own in drought, and does even better when there is no drought.
Photo credit: B. Wawa/CIMMYT

KDV4 is one of the DT varieties sold in Kenya’s eastern drylands alongside other improved varieties, developed by the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project in close partnership with public and private partners including local seed companies in Kenya.

Sarah purchased a three-kilogram packet of the KDV4 variety from Dryland Seeds Limited (DSL), the main supplier of DT maize seed in the eastern region. Besides KDV4 maize – an open pollinated variety – DSL also stocks a number of hybrid varieties tailored especially for this region. One such hybrid is DSLH103, locally known as Sawa, a Kiswahili name that loosely translates into ‘the good one’.

Mr. Joseph Mulei is one of the farmers who has planted Sawa. “Sawa has very good yield. I like it particularly because it matures early. If we get good rains in the first two weeks, I am assured of very good harvest from Sawa,” explains Mulei.

Sawa statistics, the story is spreading, but much more remains to be done

Statistics too stand by and reaffirm the Sawa label. On average, hybrids like Sawa give farmers up to 49 percent more grain than open pollinated varieties, and 15 percent more than hybrids currently on the market.

Both Joseph and Sarah have taken the initiative to educate their fellow farmers on the benefits of certified DT seed. Mulei has been particularly influential in his capacity as a leader of 25 farmers in the area. They both concur that it is important for more farmers to plant the improved varieties since they are a guarantee to improving food security.

Yet despite this assurance, improved varieties in the eastern region are still not widespread according to Mr. Ngila Kimotho, the Managing Director of DSL. “More collaborative effort is needed to create awareness on the improved DT varieties, and more importantly, to ensure that the seeds are available for the farmers,” adds Ngila. The company has conducted several awareness campaigns including field demonstrations and radio programs in a bid to reach as many farmers as possible.

What is CIMMYT doing to spread DT maize?

Through its new project Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Seed Scaling (DTMASS), CIMMYT is working with seed companies like DSL to meet the current demand and improve access to good-quality DT maize. DTMASS plans to produce close to 12,000 metric tonnes of certified seed for approximately 400,000 households – or 2.5 million people – in seven countries in eastern and southern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia).

DTMASS will make determined efforts to reach as many farmers as possible as an integral part of project goals. Consequently, many more farmers will enjoy the benefits of good yields even in the moderate droughts so common in most of Africa’s maize belt.

CIMMYT Receives Recognition for Its Role in Strengthening Malawi’s Maize Seed System

By Brenda Wawa

CIMMYT recently received an award in recognition of its efforts and contributions towards developing and strengthening Malawi’s maize seed system. Kennedy Lweya, Seed Business Development Specialist for East and Southern Africa, received the award on behalf of CIMMYT, during the Seed Trade Association of Malawi Congress and Expo––the first of its kind––held on 22–23 October 2015 at the Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe.

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Kennedy Lweya, Seed Business Development Specialist for East and southern Africa, receives CIMMYT award from Derrings Phiri, Managing Director of Seed Co during the Seed trade Association of Malawi Congress and Expo.

Many of these accomplishments have been achieved through the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project, which has supported farmers to withstand the effects of a drought that continues to affect millions of smallholders who depend on maize as their staple food.

Upon receiving the award, Lweya noted, “This signifies recognition of tremendous work undertaken by CIMMYT scientists globally and in Malawi, in particular, to improve maize systems. More importantly, the award is an endorsement of the value that public-private partnerships bring in improving livelihoods and food security in the developing world.”

CIMMYT has worked closely with public and private sector partners to develop improved drought tolerant (DT) maize. So far, 18 improved varieties have been released, 15 of which are maize hybrids that give farmers an average of 49% more yield compared to varieties already on the market.

This collaboration has helped seed production in Malawi, particularly of certified DT maize seed; take an upward trajectory led by small- and medium-size seed companies. With CIMMYT support, these companies have been able to access––free of charge––the best improved germplasm, commercialize the varieties, enhance their seed production capacity, and accelerate farmers’ adoption of the varieties.

“As an emerging private seed enterprise, we have benefited immensely, through increased maize seed sales, from our collaboration with CIMMYT and the national research program, mainly by accessing improved maize germplasm, technical support, and various capacity building efforts,” says Innocent Jumbe, Operations Director at Peacock Seed Company.

Farmers in Malawi are currently leading in the adoption of DT maize varieties, with approximately 1.2 million households growing DT maize. The adoption rate is at 61%––the highest among the 13 DTMA countries. This progress has been due largely to favorable government policies that have made access to improved varieties much easier and more affordable.

The role of DTMA project was highly appreciated in the Congress, with a greater recognition of strong partnerships that have helped to scale up DT varieties, particularly through the Feed the Future Malawi Improved Seed Systems and Technologies (MISST) project. This project is being implemented by a consortium of four CGIAR centers – CIMMYT (maize), ICRISAT (legumes), IITA (aflasafe technology), and CIP (orange fleshed sweet potato) to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger in the Feed the Future Zones of Influence in Malawi. In addition, CIMMYT’s other novel and innovative products, including pro-vitamin A and quality protein maize, which were showcased in the expo, have set a high standard for maize breeding in Malawi.

Valeria Pantaleo Story: Hope and triumph in the midst of harsh climatic conditions

Valeria Pantaleo Story: Hope and triumph in the midst of harsh climatic conditions

 

By Brenda Wawa

maize1Valeria and her daughters and part of their bountiful maize harvest from ‘ngamia’ seed. B. Wawa/CIMMYT’

In Africa, farmers experience drought conditions often characterized by delayed rains, minimal and poorly distributed or failed rains altogether. For a small village in Olkalili, northern Tanzania – a semi-arid area, these harsh weather conditions are prevalent. As a result, farmers from this locality have often had to contend with low maize yields. However, the story of Valeria Pantaleo is one of hope and triumph following a handsome harvest from a drought-tolerant and nitrogen-use efficient maize variety HB513, she planted for the first time. This variety locally known as ngamia, Kiswahili name for camel, is one of the 16 hybrid varieties developed for Tanzania by the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project. Meru Agro Tours and Consultant Company – sole distributor of HB513 – managed to reach many more farmers in Olkalili – just like Valeria – thanks to additional support from the Improved Maize for African Soils project to increase seed production and distribution. For Valeria, ngamia seed gave her more than just food. Read her story here.

A New Generation of Maize for Africa


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