After 80 years of dedicated service to agriculture in Africa, SeedCo is still living up to their mission statement of breeding, seeding, feeding and leading, says Adrian Chibanga, SeedCo’s Chief Agronomist in Zambia. They are the leading suppliers of genetic technology to farmers in Africa, as proven once again by their exhibit at the recent ACSZ Show in Lusaka.

Zambian farmers who attended the show were impressed with the latest and most innovative grain varieties developed by SeedCo to withstand climate change. The purpose of their exhibition was not only to introduce their various products, but also to empower the farmers with the knowledge they need to improve their farming practices. They specialise in maize, soya beans and wheat, and also offer a huge variety of vegetables to choose from for both the small-scale and commercial farmer.

Their maize basket includes three exciting varieties:

• SC 303 has been developed to mature quickly to escape drought in the short rain seasons. The plants mature faster to provide high yields and require less water due to the shorter growing season.
• SC 719 was initially developed to mature over longer period, but according to Adrian the variety has proven to cope well with dry spells. This means that the SC 719 can still provide a good yield even if the season is dryer than expected.
• To assist with the problem of acidic soils, SeedCo introduced the SC 647 that withstands high levels of acidity and has a medium maturing time.

Both SC 419 and SC 647 provide protection against damage from animals such as weasels. Adrian explains that this is due to the fact that the plant stem has a harder surface to ensure that the animals cannot chew through it.

SC 419, Adrian claims, has yielded up to 8,5 tonnes per hectare during the 2018 season. SC 419 is also one of the early maturing, Drought Escape range offered by SeedCo.

Soya beans

Soya bean producers also depend on SeedCo’s soya cultivars, such as SC Spike that has proven itself as one of the best in Africa, yielding up to 6,5 tonnes per hectare on dry land during tests. “A farmer broke our record,” Adrian says. “On 30 hectares of dry land, he achieved 6,8 tonnes due to the unbelievable genetics of SC Spike.”

Wheat

As far as winter crops are concerned, SeedCo offers a range of five wheat cultivars. The latest cultivar is SC Select that has been tested for a maximum yield potential of 12 tonnes per hectare. “I can confidently say that farmers can reach 10 tonnes per hectare with SC Select,” Adrian declares.

He explains that the development process of seed is expensive and time-consuming due to the fact that SeedCo does not use GMOs. It takes up to ten years or ten seasons for a new hybrid variety to be developed from the first trails up to the point where it can be marketed to the farmers. The first step in the process is the background work where the specific traits are selected. Then follows the consistency tests and then the authorities need to verify the qualities and consistency of the product before it can be introduced to the market. But according to SeedCo, it is all worth the effort to ensure food security in Africa in the face of the challenges that come with climate change.

Adrian gives the assurance that SeedCo will continue to work hard in order to breed, seed, feed and lead Africa into the future of agriculture.

Please contact Adrian Chibanga at adrian.chibanga@seedcogroup.com or visit their website at www.seedcogtoup.com/zm to become a seed smart farmer.