Africa set to produce more certified seed for growing

From www.allAfrica.com:

Increasing demand for improved seeds in Africa has been on the high but the demand has not been met owing, not only to few seed companies in existence, but also due to the fact that most of the existing companies produce less than 1,000 metric tons of seeds.

But a report released recently at the Grow Africa Investment Forum alongside the World Economic Forum on Africa by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) revealed that 80 small-to medium-size African seed companies in 16 countries are on track to produce over 80,000 metric tons of professionally certified seeds in 2014.

Most of these small- to medium-size African seed companies are participating in AGRA's Program for Africa's Seed Systems (PASS.) which is offering high-yield crop varieties to smallholder farmers across the continent.

Today, two of these companies have hit 10,000 metric tons production in a year. Maslaha Seeds in Nigeria is one of the two companies that have hit that mark. From production of 600 tons of seed in its first year in 2006, Maslaha Seeds has grown rapidly over the years producing thousands of tons of seed each year for a wide menu of crop varieties, including high-yield sorghum, millet, and cowpea developed specifically for Nigeria's growing conditions.

To read the full article, visit www.allAfrica.com.