Royalty-free seeds, mobile devices help African farmers boost crop yields despite drought

dt corn
A drought-tolerant maize variety gets harvested in Zimbabwe

As our global population continues to grow and the climate becomes hotter and drier and resources become scarcer…. we need both food and fresh water to survive, but growing food demands significant fresh water as well. Our efforts to ensure both food security and ample fresh water supplies are intertwined, and ultimately, efficiency is the only solution.

Modern seed varieties offer built-in resistance to drought and key pests, helping African farmers to better manage both food and water needs to boost their harvests and their quality of life. A public/private partnership, Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA), is working to deliver these newer drought-tolerant and pest-resistant maize seed hybrids to the farmers who need them most.

Since the inception of the WEMA project in 2008, more than 100 royalty-free maize seed hybrids….have been approved for commercial release in Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

Digital tools are becoming more practical in many areas of the world….Increasingly, smallholder farmers use mobile devices to learn more about weather conditions, commodity prices and best practices to help them manage their crops and water supplies.

Read full, original article: How a Humble Seed Is Helping African Farmers to Better Manage Both Food and Water

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}
screenshot at  pm

Are pesticide residues on food something to worry about?

In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring drew attention to pesticides and their possible dangers to humans, birds, mammals and the ...
glp menu logo outlined

Newsletter Subscription

* indicates required
Email Lists
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.