BIF, Peacock Seeds Company unveil packaged certified Kilombero rice seed
During the hay days Malawi was well known for its aromatic and tasty rice varieties in Kilombero, Faya and others. Over the years, with lack of proper and certified seed to control quality, the country has lost ground on rice quality.
Business Innovation Facility – BIF in conjunction with Peacock Seeds has embarked on a project aimed at bringing the original variety of Kilombero rice in which they have unveiled a pure certified Kilombero rice seed variety.
In an exclusive interview, BIF Rice Seed Market Development Officer, Herbert Chafulumira said it is now high time farmers started yielding benefits from rice farming saying the new variety can perform better in the current climatic condition.
Chafulumira said the new variety has potential of changing farmer’s livelihood saying the rice quality guarantee them access to premium markets.
“Peacock Kilombero is aromatic, medium maturity (120 to 130 days to mature), suitable for both rain fed and irrigation. It is high yielding up to 5 tonnes per hector,” he explained.
He added that the move to come up with the variety was necessitated after observing that farmers are ignorant of new seed technologies in rice that can bring the original taste of Kilombero which has a big market both locally and export wise.
According to Chafulumira the new seed variety will be available in all rice growing districts and farmers can easily access through their local agro-dealers.
In the past Peacock Seeds has been selling rice seeds to farmers through NGO’s. During that time Peacock Seeds established a platform for industry growth in the rice seed sector to create their own wealth.
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