Kenyan Farmers to Embrace Drought and Pest-Resistant Maize Varieties

Kenyan farmers are set to benefit from drought and pest-resistant high yielding maize varieties set to be distributed from the government.

The Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (Kalro) in collaboration with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AAFT) came up with the maize seeds and they are currently in the process of carrying out field researches so as to get the suitable varieties for the different regions in the country.

The regions to be given first priority are those that are mostly affected by stem borers. This is in a mission to enable farmers in such regions get enough harvests that will be used for purposes of consumption and selling, so as to increase income. By achieving this, the communities will be strengthened to take up the practice continuously.

The discovery of these drought and pest resistant maize varieties was done by Wema Bt maize portends, through a scientific means. It is expected that the discovery will lead to a reduction in the cases of food shortages in the country and in fighting pests and diseases.

Dr. Kiplimo Eliud, of Kalro, said that such scientific discoveries are important and they will soon be used by the government more often in other fields, apart from agriculture. The reason that led to the scientific researches was after the stem borer was said to be causing great losses to farmers, that could add up to almost 9 billion, which was equivalent to 400,00 bags of maize.

Such losses forced the government to start importing the cereal so that Kenyans could have food at table. Maize is the staple food for Kenya thus, its shortage tends to affect the country a great deal. More researches are being carried out by the concerned bodies, so as to come up with more advanced ways of curbing food insecurity in the country.

At the moment, the Bt maize varieties are the ones that have been proven as suitable for various parts of the country. Kenyan farmers will have to get access to the GM technology so as to learn how to go about the crop. This will in turn lead to increased yields and methods of farming in the country and Africa.

Article by Vera Shawiza.