TechnoServe to supply hybrid maize to farmers next year

Gomoa Famanye (C/R), Aug. 17, GNA- Technoserve, a non profit International Business Development with support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would make available about 30 metric tonnes of "mamaba" high yielding maize seeds to farmers next year.

The Project Manager of TechnoServe, Mr Thomas Bonney said this on Tuesday at a farmers' rally at Gomoa Famanye where a demonstration of the "mamaba", was made to some farmers in the area.

Mr Bonney, said mamaba yields higher than all the improved varieties of maize and that a hectare of it could produce between 20 and 25 bags of maize, as against five bags from the traditional maize on the same size of land.

He said that while it takes 110 days to mature, the traditional maize matures in 120 days with low protein.

A quantity of the "mamaba" that would cover a hectare of land would cost 10,000 cedis when offered for sale.

Addressing the farmers, the country director of TechnoServe, Mr Nick Railston-Brown said his organization is currently embarking on a programme to help farmers to increase productivity in order to reduce poverty among them.

He told farmers not to regard farming as a hobby but as a business. He therefore urged farmers to adopt modern and scientific method to increase productivity.

The country director said the cost of maize in Ghana is higher than most African countries because of the traditional method most farmers still used in farming.