By Joshua Masinde Scientists are calling for accelerated adoption of new hybrid maize varieties with resistance to maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease in sub-Saharan Africa. In combination with recommended integrated pest management practices, adopting these new varieties is an important step towards safeguarding smallholder farmers against this devastating viral disease. A new publication in Virus…
Climate Change: Climate information services badly needed in Africa
By Joseph checky Abuje joabuje@gmail.com Investing in effective, sustainable climate information services is a vital part of adapting to climate change, especially in Africa, a new research report by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) reveals. The report dubbed ‘Investing for sustainable climate services: Insights from the African experience’ looks at the support provided in…
Delivering improved maize seed against all odds
By Joshua Masinde As one of the pioneer homegrown seed companies in Uganda, Farm Inputs Care Centre (FICA) has become one of the leading players in the seed sector value chain. Since its inception in 1999, it has played a significant role in variety development and maintenance, seed production, and processing, packaging and marketing. The…
Rice farmers count gains
By joseph checky abuje joabuje@gmail.com After a devastating season of floods in the flood prone area of budalangi in western kenya, rice farmers from Bunyalla irrigation scheme have a reason to smile after recording a bumper harvest of paddy. Majority of farmers had just transplanted rice in their fields as others werer in a haste…
Amref Launches Study on COVID-19 Response Governance
By Adelyn Wangusi Amref Health Africa has launched the COVID-19 Response Governance Mapping Initiative, a study on the sustainability and effectiveness of COVID-19 response efforts implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Malawi. The initiative is a joint project between researchers based at AMREF International University (Kenya). The University of Edinburgh (Scotland), the Somali…
IITA scientist, Dixon, named among the top 20 most influential plant breeders in Africa
The Director of Development and Delivery Office of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr. Alfred Dixon, has been named among the top 20 most influential plant breeders in Africa. He was named alongside two other IITA scientists – Abebe Menkir and John Derera. The Southern African Plant Breeders’ Association (SAPBA) recently published the…
New maize variety set to uplift farmers’ fortunes in western Kenya
By Joseph Checky Abuje joabuje@gmail.com For many years Elda Mariam, a maize farmer from Nambale sub-county, Busia County has been harvesting a maximum of Seven bags in her one-acre parcel. This could however change with the introduction of Bt Maize variety in that locality. “Maize farming has been a big loss to me. I…
Leaders put heads together against climate change
By Joseph Checky Abuje joabuje@gmail.com Participants at a climate change meeting convened by Kenya Climate Change Working Group (www.kccwg.org) have called for integrated approaches at all levels of governance internationally, nationally, and locally as a measure to mitigate climate change effects, that is giving the world’s sleepless nights. According to the speakers, there is…