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Elton Manguwo

ZIMBABWE Stock Exchange listed seed producing giant, Seed Co has heeded the Government’s call to modernise farming by developing seed varieties that suit the weather patterns that weather experts would have predicted for particular seasons.

Seed Co group chief executive officer, Mr Morgan Nzwere recently revealed that the company had optimal seed varieties to match the mixed rainfall forecasts by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD).

He said this during a recent trading update on the company’s financial performance.

Mr Nzwere’s remarks come of the backdrop of growing calls by the Government for the private sector to initiate research that mitigates the negative impacts of climate change, which is depressing food production.

“Research and development remains the key pillar of the competitive advantage for the business. Various innovative research projects are underway to produce seed solutions in both existing product portfolios and new crops that are adaptable to the constantly evolving climate and disease regiments,” said Mr Nzwere.

Additionally, the company has performed well in crop diversification with remarkable work on rice and potato seeds having been recorded.

With the summer season now in full swing and most farmers either planting or replacing damaged crops, the group is fully stocked to meet any possible demand.

“The company is still taking deliveries of raw seed and by the end of the first half year period 15, 500 tonnes of maize seed were in stock across all varieties. We have adequate seed for this summer selling season,” said the group boss.

Mr Nzwere highlighted that the group was committed to sustainable ethical business practices, the protection of the environment and economic development while improving the livelihoods of all its stakeholders, including but not limited to employees, farmers, consumers, and communities.

Seed Co has introduced new products in Zimbabwe guided by research findings. These include three new seed hybrids SC307, SC449, SC561 and pearl millet hybrids SCPH01 and SCPHO3.

The company is also set to meet the demand for oil seeds through the new cowpeas seed varieties that are still in development stages.

“To this end, the company’s thrust of seed-to-feed business is to innovate and make available climate-smart high-yielding seed solutions, agronomic support, and training for the efficient utilisation of arable land and other farming inputs to sustainably make both small and large-scale farming profitable enterprises that feed both people and livestock with catalytic effects on critical economic value chains,” said Mr Nzwere.

Erratic rainfall distribution has been anticipated to affect this year’s cropping season therefore seed varieties that can withstand the periodic droughts are critical, as the Government continues to make efforts to climate proof the agriculture sector.