The Sunday Mail
Livingstone Marufu
Zimbabwe’s largest seed company, Seed Co Private Limited, has invested over US$28 million towards research over the past six years as the company intensifies efforts to compete on the global market, a company official has said.
This year the company intends to spend around US$6 million on research into various crops’ viability in difficult climatic conditions.
Seed Co Zimbabwe managing director Denias Zaranyika, told The Sunday Mail Business that the continuous research and investment in agriculture will strengthen the country’s food security status and boost yields.
“We have invested US$28, 4 million since 2010 into research in a bid to keep pace with latest farming, climatic and environmental demands.
“In 2010, we invested US$1, 55 million, in 2011 we invested US$2, 25 million, in 2012 the company invested US$2, 75 million, in 2013 — US$2, 63 million was invested, US$3, 69 million was invested in 2014, US$4,14 million in 2015 and US$5,15 million in 2016.
For 2017, around $6 million was invested.”
Last year US$4 million laboratory was designed to keep pace with latest farming, climatic and environmental demands.
Climate change is forcing many seed producers to innovative, particularly in producing new seed varieties that are draught tolerant, pest resistance and produce improved yields.
Over the years, Seed Co has managed to produce drought — tolerant and early maturing seeds that have had far reaching ramifications to the farming businesses.
Mr Zaranyika, told the gathering at Rattray Arnold Research Station Field Day last week that continuous research and investment in agriculture will strengthen the country’s food security status.
“We have made some significant investments in our research and development to ensure that we keep pace with climatic and environmental demands that farmers may face in their operations.”
It is in this respect that the opened US$4 million laboratory at Rattray Arnold Station (along Shamva Road), enhances breeding process through Molecular Marker Assisted selection, to make new inbred lines using Double Haploid Technology and advanced plant pathology.
Among other benefits, that laboratory is now speeding up the process of releasing new varieties — for example, from 15 to eight years — ensuring that farmers now get new varieties in almost real time.
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Seed Co says the new research laboratory will result in cost savings since it now has the expertise that was previously outsourced.
It is also believed that the laboratory will result in new seed varieties that improve yields and have complimentary traits such as heat-and disease tolerance and fast dry down rates.
According to Mr Zaranyika, climate change has presented the company with an opportunity to commission new research into breeding, production and extension support.
There has been repeated encouragement for farmers to shift from reliance on rain-fed agriculture to new irrigation techniques.
Researchers are increasingly resorting to developing seed varieties that can survive freak weather conditions such as drought and floods.
Experts say climate change and rainfall patterns could lead to food price increases of between 3 percent and 84 percent by 2050.
Seed Co, which was established in 1940, mainly relies on trade in quality seeds and technology across Africa.
Seed Co is currently the dominant seed company in Zimbabwe sitting on 56 percent market share in the Zimbabwean market.
Recent yields have proved maize farmers can produce up to 20 tonnes per hectare if provided with enhanced hybrid seeds.
