Drought Tolerant Maize Introduced in Ghana

New varieties of drought tolerant maize which are also high yielding and affordable were introduced in Ghana through the collaboration of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ghana's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Crops Research Institute and Savanna Agricultural Research Institute.

The said varieties were given names in Ghanaian local dialect to denote their characteristics and importance.They are CSIR-Omankwa (giver of life), CSIR Aburohemaa, (Queen mother of maize), CSIR-Abontem (extra early maize) and CSIR-Enii Pibi (father's child).

Severe floods and droughts, coupled with unpredicted rainfall pattern and harsh weather conditions which were further triggered by climate change, as well as global food and fuel prices have cumulatively heightened the already existing vulnerabilities among people and communities in Ghana. With the development of new techniques, all existing tools to improve agricultural productivity such as biotechnology deserve careful consideration and should be made available for farmers.

See the original article at http://vibeghana.com/2012/12/23/ghana-introduces-drought-tolerant-maize-to-boost-food-security/.