News
New seed storage facility
to bolster maize R&D
A seed storage cold room facility to
“It is important to have a facility
function like large-scale refrigerators
support maize research and improve
that will help breeding programmes
and preserve seeds by maintaining
livelihood of African smallholders has
to produce and store large quantities
low temperatures, thereby impeding
been launched.
of valuable seeds with no loss in
environmental or biotic factors such
quality,” says Kropff. “This cold
as pathogens and insects from
Bill and Melinda Gates foundation
room will help improve effectiveness
affecting seed viability for long
and implemented by International
and efficiency of our breeding work
periods.
Maize and Wheat Improvement
in Kenya and Africa.”
“For research work, seeds need to be
The US$100,000 project funded by
Center (CIMMYT) and Kenya
Eliud Kireger, director-general of
stored between six months and ten
Agricultural and Livestock Research
KALRO, says that agriculture is the
years for future use,” says Kireger.
Organization (KALRO) was launched
backbone of Kenya's economy and
”This requires high level of
last month (7 July) in Kenya.
needs a strong seed system to
preservation and safety to enable
“It is important to have a facility that
enable breeders develop and
breeders to work with more diverse
will help breeding programmes to
disseminate improved seed varieties
materials, develop new maize
produce and store large quantities of
for farming and improved
germplasm, and store this effectively
livelihoods.
for further use,” .
valuable seeds with no loss in
quality.”
Martin Kropff, director-general of
“This new facility will boost the
Akomian Fortuné Azihou, a lecturer
maize breeding work done by both
at the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences
Mexico-headquartered CIMMYT, said
KALRO and CIMMYT at the Kiboko
at Benin-based University of Abomey-
at the launch that diseases, insect-
station, Makueni county in Kenya,
Calavi, tells SciDev.Net the facility is
pests and climatic stresses including
which serves as a major hub for
important for the entire Africa that
drought, and low soil fertility are
maize breeding in Africa and
depends on maize as a staple food.
reducing maize production, thus
expedite movement of improved
negatively impacting on the
maize germplasm to national
livelihood of maize smallholders in
partners and seed companies across
improve maize varieties on the
Africa.
Africa and beyond,” he adds.
continent for better nutrition and food
Kireger explains that cold rooms
July - August 2016
[6]
FARMERS
REVIEW AFRICA
But Azihou calls on farmers and
researchers to work together to
security in Africa.
www.farmersreviewafrica.com