By Prince Agyapong
Onuku Besea (E/R), Aug. 26, GNA – The Ghanaian Legacy Crop Improvement Centre (LCIC) has made a breakthrough in agricultural research by developing high-quality new maize seed varieties that require less application of chemical fertiliser.
The varieties hailed as “gamechangers” for Ghana were introduced to smallholder farmers in the Fanteakwa North District and included “Legacy 2” [white maize] and “Legacy 26” [yellow maize].
Dr Amos Rutherford Azinu, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LCIC, highlighted the characteristics of the varieties, including their adaptability to climatic conditions, and said that farmers now have a more reliable and sustainable solution to increasing production.
He also said the varieties had the potential to yield eight to nine metric tonnes per hectare as compared to existing ones and that they also had high nutritional content and a long shelf life.
He added that if farmers embraced the variety and received the necessary support services, this could be a game changer for Ghana, helping mitigate food insecurity and significantly improving farmers income levels.
“If you compared to any other varieties in the past, most of these old varieties have to mature in 120 or 130 days, but these legacy varieties take 85–90 days,” he added.
He added that the legacy varieties have no resistance to fall army worms that attack maize and would require fall army worm chemical when there is their existence on the farm.
“When we sensed the existence of fall army worm on the farm, we sprayed the farm twice using one bag of fall army chemical, and these pests were eliminated.
He explained that for now, there are no maize varieties that are resistant to fall army worms, even though LCIC is looking forward to providing a solution.
Mrs Veronica Dadson, a Management Information System (MIS) Officer of the Department of Agriculture in Fanteakwa North District and Women in Agriculture (WIA), said the legacy maize varieties assured germination, adding that “the yields are even greater when you plant one seed per hole.”
She further indicated that one would need nine kilogrammes of Legacy two and Legacy 26 when planting on a standard acreage of land and advised farmers not to replant harvested seeds of Legacy varieties, explaining that there would be shrinkage and smaller yields.
Mr. Samuel Terpker Tetteh, a 26-year-old farmer who won the best youth farmer award in Fanteakwa North district in 2022, said the yields from the legacy varieties are great as compared to the abontem and other old varieties.
“If you plant the old varieties on an acreage of land, you will be able to harvest 2-4 bags of maize, but when you grow the legacy varieties, you will be able to produce 8 bags of maize per acre.”
LCIC is the first private local seed business company specializing in the production and marketing of basic seeds. It was established in November 2015 and headquartered in Legacy Square; a smart seed business centre located in Otareso in the Eastern Region.
GNA