Kpongu (UW), Nov. 7, GNA - Farmers at Kpongu in the Wa Municipality have held a field day to familiarize themselves with a new drought and weed resistant maize variety, which they intend to adoption for increased food security and incomes. The new maize variety, which matures early and is rich in protein, had already been cultivated alongside other crops at Biihee in the Wa Municipality, Daffiama in the Nadowli District and Silbelle in the Sissala West District.

Mr. Hashim Ibrahim, a research scientist at SARI, which organized the event in partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said the new maize variety was obtained from Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa, a non-governmental organisation through the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture at Ibadan, in Nigeria, He expressed the hope that more farmers would begin to cultivate it with the other high yielding varieties that had already been introduced, to reduce rural poverty.

Madam Alimara Darimani, a farmer said the introduction of a new variety of maize that could withstand weeds was a relief to farmers. Farmers, who offered their plots for the demonstration of the new maize variety, said the new maize yielded more grain than the traditional one they were accustomed to. 8 Nov. 09