CSIR-SARI showcases stress-tolerant, hybrid maize to farmers
The Savanna Agricultural Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SARI) has introduced farmers in Manwe and Goripie in the Wa East District to stress-tolerant and hybrid maize varieties.
The farmers were introduced to those improved maize varieties during a farmers’ field day at Manwe organised by the CSIR-SARI.
The demonstration fields were part of the dissemination process of climate-resilient maize hybrids under the “Participatory On-farm testing of Stress Tolerant Maize in Upper West Region of Ghana” project funded by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
Addressing the farmers, Dr. Mahama G. Yakubu, a Senior Research Scientist at CSIR- SARI, Wa station, said the demonstration fields were a strategy to test and promote the release of the maize varieties and their adoption by farmers.
He emphasised the need for farmers to adopt climate-smart maize varieties and hybrids to enhance their economic gain.
“Indeed, because of climate change, we need to develop climate-smart hybrids. Climate-smart means that the variety matures early, stress tolerant and high yielding, and also fits into what consumers want to improve their livelihoods”, he explained.
Dr Yakubu added that the hybrids had in-built tolerance mechanisms to water shortage and would produce more than other maize varieties in the event of drought.
He stated that some of those improved varieties had short maturity periods to cope with the erratic and declining rains, especially in northern Ghana.
“With a stress-tolerant maize genotype, maize farmers are more likely to be food secured, they can allocate less land to maize and invest in other crops to the benefit of a more balanced diet, higher incomes, and improved soil fertility”, he indicated.
However, Dr. Yakubu, who is also an agronomist, stated that the yield potential of the hybrid maize varieties could only be achieved if farmers adhered to good agronomic practices (GAPs) such as proper land preparation and timely weeding.
Other GAPs he mentioned included observing the “4Rs” of nutrient stewardship (right source, right rate, right time, and right place), pest control, and timely harvesting.
Some of the farmers, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the field visit, expressed hope that the improved maize varieties would reduce the challenges they faced in farming due to the irregular rainfall pattern.
Source: GNA