Peacock introduces new seeds: Mwai Wathu Alimi, Peacock Kilombero

Malawian farmers now have a varied choice of seeds to get from Peacock Seeds Company – Malawi’s leading producers of drought tolerant maize seed varieties, which recently introduced Peacock Kilombero and Mwai Wathu Alimi, a pigeon pea variety.

Boti (right) --- It is a game changer
Boti (right) — It is a game changer

Peacock Seeds is a wholly owned Malawian enterprise involved in seed growing, processing and distribution.

The new seeds, according to the company’s Corporate Affairs and Market Development Manager Horace Boti, will heighten farmers’ potential who he said must always be focused on treating their game as a commercial affair.

The innovation made possible following a corporation between the company and Business Innovation Facility (BIF) – another organization also interested in the welfare of small scale business entities – have been proven to be ideal as they have unprecedented potential to produce high yields.

Boti described the variety as “a total game changer.”

He said “This variety (Peacock Kilombero) has a nice aroma. It matures early and one can get can up to five metric tons per hectare under proper management.”

For Malawi, whose economy is agro-based, rice production contributes about 10 to 15 per cent of the gross domestic product.

BIF rice seed market development officer Herbert Chafulumira said there is quality guarantee which can enable farmers have access to premium markets within and outside the country.

Chafulumira said according to research, rice and pigeon peas have lost market due to poor varieties that were borne out of lack of proper and certified seeds to control quality.

He weighs in by saying that the result was that farmers in the country struggled to find markets for their produce – making them lose interest in the trade.

Apart from the two new varieties, the company has such other certified maize varieties as Peacock 10, MH30 and CAP9001 and legume seeds of ground nuts called CG7, certified bean seeds in the names of Kholophete, Nyambitira, Namtupa and cowpeas IT82E16.

“It’s now time for farmers to realize their potential in farming by growing certified seeds that cannot let them down,” said Boti.

The two crops are being promoted by BIF with funding from UKAID formerly DFID.

 

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