Story by Tendai Munengwa
GOVERNMENT has introduced a new statutory instrument compelling all seed houses to produce maize seed varieties treated with anti-fall armyworm chemicals as authorities intensify efforts to protect farmers from the destructive pest ahead of the summer cropping season.
The move comes as one of the country’s major seed producers upgrades its processing facilities through the installation of modern sorting equipment and advanced drying systems aimed at improving seed quality and accelerating production timelines.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka toured Seed-Co this Wednesday to assess maize seed production and monitor implementation of the new policy requiring anti-fall armyworm-treated seed.
“We are happy that the biggest seed house has upgraded its processing facilities. After dryers were commissioned, they installed a state-of-the-art sorting system, so they are moving with technology of major interest. We also wanted to know if they are applying the new statutory instrument which we introduced, which calls for all seed houses to treat seed with chemicals to protect the maize against fall armyworm. We directed them to start with seed for the Presidential Inputs Programme so as to cushion our small holder farmers from this devastating pest,” he said.
The seed house’s Managing Director, Mrs Felistus Gurajena, assured the nation of adequate seed for the forthcoming summer cropping season.
“We are happy to welcome the Minister of Agriculture. It is a good gesture that the government will get an appreciation of our seed house capacity. We have installed new sorting facilities that select quality seed. We have driers, and our farmers are no longer waiting to dry in the fields, but we dry it. That is fast and enables us to process the seed on time. We have adequate seed for the season,” she said.
With climate change impacting agriculture, the country’s seed houses have adopted a climate-smart agriculture policy to produce drought-tolerant hybrids, which will be ready for distribution this season.
