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Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter

Bayer, a crop protection products provider, has launched maize seed hybrid varieties tailor-made for different agronomic regions in Zimbabwe.

The DEKALB maize varieties: DKC 80-33, DK 777, DKC 90 -89 and DKC 80-53 are expected to give yields of between eight and 12 tonnes per hectare.

Bayer territory manager, Mr Farai Munyanyi said they had introduced the hybrid varieties to support farmers to sustainably meet food security needs and stable yield performance.

“The maize seed varieties focus on yield stability, drought tolerance, disease resistance and good grain quality.
“Our farmers face many challenges accessing quality and reliable maize seed hybrids they need to produce high yielding harvests that can support their families and communities.
“We believe it is from high quality seeds that farmers can easily enhance their productivity and profitability, it is from high quality seeds that we generate jobs and income,” said Mr Munyanyi.

He said the DEKALB varieties could offer farmers climate smart options that can help make big leaps in fighting climate change, providing food and nutrition security and improving livelihoods.Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Vangelis Haritatos said the coming in of new seed houses witnessed in the past was true testimony of the impact of the new dispensation’s “Zimbabwe is open for business mantra”.

“This has contributed to Zimbabwe being one of the countries with the highest maize seed hybridisation in the region.

“Maize seed plays a critical role in the sustainable development of agricultural industry; more so in the livelihood of our smallholder farmers. The increase of players and improvement in organisations structure of the maize seed industry has certainly improved performance in terms of accessibility of quality seed by our farmers throughout the country,” he said.