Farmers at Moshie-Daboro in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region have expressed excitement over the performance of new improved maize varieties developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI).
The farmers made the remarks during a demonstration field day organized at Moshie-Daboro by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), in collaboration with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), through the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Phase II (TAAT II).
Five improved maize hybrids were showcased, comprising two previously released white maize hybrids, CSIR-SARIMAZ 4 and CSIR-SARIMAZ 5, and three promising yellow maize hybrids (LY1409, LY2205 and EPVAH-34), and with high provitamin A, iron and zinc.
The demonstration plots were established in late July 2026 on land traditionally used for groundnut cultivation.
Despite the relatively late planting, irregular rainfall, and prolonged dry spells experienced during the growing season, the improved hybrids exhibited encouraging performance compared with other maize varieties cultivated within the community.
The exercise brought together smallholder and commercial farmers, agricultural extension agents, CSIR-SARI researchers, and input dealers to assess the performance of improved maize hybrids developed to increase productivity, strengthen resilience to climate-related stresses, and improve household food and nutrition security.
The farmers said the varieties had demonstrated resilience despite late planting, limited rainfall and prolonged dry spells, which affected the performance of other maize varieties cultivated in the area.
They expressed optimism that the new varieties, particularly those enriched with essential nutrients, could improve food security and help address nutritional deficiencies among vulnerable groups, especially pregnant and lactating women.
Ms Alayine Grace, a lead farmer at Moshie-Daboro, said the performance of the varieties during the field trials had encouraged farmers to embrace them and expand their cultivation once they were officially released.
Ms Abaabagre Halimatu, another farmer, said she was particularly impressed by the varieties’ nutritional benefits, expressing hope that they would help address nutritional challenges confronting women in rural communities, particularly during pregnancy and childbirth.
Speaking during farmers’ field day activities Dr Isaac Kodzo Amegbor, Maize Breeder at CSIR-SARI and TAAT II Maize Compact Lead for Ghana, highlighted the importance of integrating improved maize varieties with good agronomic practices and effective post-harvest management.
Dr Amegbor said the two previously released hybrids, CSIR-SARIMAZ 4 and CSIR-SARIMAZ 5, demonstrated remarkable tolerance to fall armyworm infestation, maintaining good crop growth and productivity despite pest pressure observed in the demonstration fields.
Their performance highlighted the potential of improved, pest-tolerant maize varieties to reduce production losses and enhance the resilience of smallholder farming systems.
The three yellow maize hybrids, on the other hand, have been developed through CSIR-SARI’s biofortification breeding programme to address both agricultural productivity and micronutrient deficiencies.
These hybrids are enriched with essential micronutrients, including provitamin A, iron, and zinc, which play critical roles in human growth, immune function, vision, and overall health.
The development of these nutritionally enhanced hybrids represents an important step towards addressing hidden hunger, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, while maintaining desirable agronomic characteristics and high grain yield potential.
Dr Desmond Sunday Adogoba, Innovation Scaling Specialist at CSIR-SARI, explained that the demonstration was intended to expose farmers to improved maize technologies capable of addressing both production and nutritional challenges.
He indicated that CSIR-SARIMAZ 4 and CSIR-SARIMAZ 5 had already been released for cultivation due to their high-yielding potential and tolerance to fall armyworm, while the three yellow hybrids have enhanced nutritional qualities.
Dr Adogoba said although the demonstration plots were established relatively late and experienced limited rainfall and prolonged dry spells, the hybrids maintained encouraging growth and grain yield performance compared with other maize varieties cultivated in the community.
He noted that the observed performance demonstrated the potential of the improved hybrids to withstand important production constraints, including moisture stress, Striga infestation, and fall armyworm damage, which continue to threaten maize productivity across northern Ghana.
Beyond improving agricultural productivity, Dr Adogoba emphasised the importance of biofortified maize in addressing micronutrient deficiencies among rural households.
He explained that many low-income families face difficulties accessing diverse diets containing adequate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals.
Consequently, incorporating provitamin A, iron, and zinc into commonly consumed staple foods such as maize provides a sustainable and affordable approach to improving dietary quality.
He further noted that the development and dissemination of biofortified maize varieties could complement existing nutrition interventions by increasing access to essential micronutrients, particularly among women and children in rural communities.
The initiative aligns with the objectives of the TAAT II Maize Compact and AATF, which seek to accelerate the adoption of climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive agricultural technologies.
In addition to improved maize varieties, the programme promotes good agronomic practices, appropriate fertilizer application, integrated pest and weed management, and improved post-harvest handling and storage to enhance productivity, reduce losses, and improve grain quality.
Mr Andrews Atampugre, an Agricultural Extension Officer with the International Development Enterprises, who facilitated the establishment of the demonstration plots, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the improved hybrids.
He explained that the field demonstration offered farmers an opportunity to compare the performance of improved maize hybrids with their existing varieties under prevailing production conditions.
He observed that the improved hybrids exhibited encouraging tolerance to Striga and fall armyworm infestation while maintaining good productivity despite the unfavourable rainfall pattern.
Mr Atampugre emphasised that combining improved seed technologies with recommended agronomic practices could significantly improve maize productivity and reduce production risks associated with climate variability.
He therefore encouraged farmers to adopt improved varieties and appropriate crop management practices to enhance their yields and livelihoods.
Source: GNA