adminAshley Mujoma
LOCAL seed supplier, Mukushi Seeds, yesterday donated 300 bags of its newly-biofortified orange maize hybrid seed to the country’s traditional chiefs.
The Pro-Vitamin A maize seed variety Z5500A donation was handed over to the president of the Chiefs Council, Chief Fortune Charumbira.
Developed by an internationally recognised developer and promoter of biofortified foods, HarvestPlus, in conjunction with the Crop Breeding Institute of Zimbabwe, Biofortified Orange Pro-Vitamin A maize, provides nutritionally-enhanced grain for human consumption and can also be used for livestock feed.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mukushi Seeds managing director, Dr John MacRobert, said the Orange Pro-Vitamin A hybrid seed maize offered local farmers, and value-addition enterprises, an opportunity to bring in new products to the market.
“As a seed supplier committed to research, including plant breeding, agronomic and seed research, in order to develop seed of the best varieties for farmers, it is incumbent upon us and our partners to provide farmers with hybrid seeds that enhance nutrition for both humans and livestock,” he said.
Orange maize seed is one of the many naturally occurring maize types that have a bright orange colour because of the high levels of pro-Vitamin A carotenoids that it contains.
Online Reporter