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The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has developed a Manual on Hybrid Corn Seed Production to equip seed producers with the skills and resources necessary to efficiently produce the desired quality and quantity that farmers require.
The Manual also addresses the various requirements, practices, and daily field operations for successful hybrid maize seed production.
It could be used by agricultural extension workers, farmers, students and end users, who want an education in the production of hybrid corn seeds in the different agro-ecological zones of the country.
It was developed by scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR – SARI), Nyankpala and CSIR-Crop Research Institute (CRI), Kumasi.
The Manual was launched at the Agricultural Inputs and Stakeholder Awareness Fair held in Sunyani and was attended by actors from the agricultural value chain to interact and network.
The production of hybrid corn in the country has not attracted the expected patronage of farmers and, to catalyze the widespread adoption and cultivation of hybrid corn varieties, the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program strategically promotes the use of hybrid corn to improve farmers’ yields. .
Hybrid corn technology is believed to be a major driver for the entire seed industry and overall the higher yield potential of hybrids compared to open pollinated corn varieties (OPV) increases farmers’ productivity .
The superior price of hybrid seed and the need for farmers to renew their seed each season keeps the private seed sector vibrant.
However, the Government relies heavily on the importation of hybrid seeds for its programs, partly due to the inability of local seed systems to produce sufficient quantities for farmers.
One of the main limitations affecting the successful expansion of hybrid maize seed production in the country is the limited number of trained and experienced personnel with the necessary knowledge and skills in hybrid seed production.
This required the development of the Manual to transform the sector.
Mr. Seth Osei Akoto, Director of Crop Services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, who spoke during the launch of the Manual at the Fair in Sunyani, said that in implementing FSY, the country experienced challenges in acquiring hybrid seeds despite It was obvious that hybrid seeds were more productive than OPVs.
Akoto said that the country had to depend on the import of hybrid seeds to satisfy the number of farmers under FSY.
He was therefore delighted that CSIR-SARI and CSIR-CRI had taken the initiative to develop the Manual, which would go a long way toward equipping seed producers with the knowledge and experience necessary to produce high-quality hybrid seeds. for the growing number of farmers in FSY.
Dr. Gloria Boakyewaa Adu, maize breeder at CSIR-SARI, who was one of the authors of the Manual, expressed her gratitude to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa through the Inclusive Productivity of Small Producers (SIPMA) and Access to the Market for the Maize-Soybean Value Chain in selected Bono districts and the Northern Regions project to provide financial support for the development of the Manual.
Dr. Adu also recognized the contributions of the SIPMA partners and the various CSIR-SARI and CSIR-CRI technicians, who in various ways helped the manual come out in the best form.
Source: GNA
