Malawi: Farmers Urged to Adopt Aret''s New Tobacco Technologies

Source from:  Malawi News Agency  02/28/2014

Farmers in the country have been urged to adopt new tobacco technologies that Agriculture Research Extension Trust (ARET) will be bringing to the public.

At the moment ARET is working on new burley hybrids that have shown more promise and better performance in terms of yield, quality and disease resistance.

Speaking during a Tobacco Field Day at Mwimba Research Station in Kasungu on Wednesday Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Binton Kutsaira, said it was an exciting thing to see what ARET is doing in coming up with new technologies.

"ARET scientists have challenged farmers that it is possible to have home grown technologies to substitute some if not all of the imported seed technologies.

"With the barley and flue hybrids, embracing additional traits that farmers' desire in the pipeline and ready to be brought to the public very soon I urge all farmers to adopt these varieties," said Kutsaira.

He, therefore, commended ARET for coming up with the important technologies.

He also said that if farmers are adopting these new varieties they will do away with all the problems that they face thereby increase production which will also be of high quality.

He added that it is in government's interest to help farmers earn more which he said can be achieved if the new and improved technologies are adopted.

ARET Director and Chief Executive Officer, Andy Khumbanyiwa, said the new technologies will help ease problems that the farmers face.

"We always want farmers not to face problems as they do their farming so we always come up with improved technologies. With these technologies the farmers will have improved yields and also quality crop," said Khumbanyiwa.

On the new barley varieties, Khumbanyiwa said the hybrids have shown more promise and performance in terms of yields, quality and disease resistance.

"These hybrids are male sterile and therefore not prone to seed recycling thereby fulfilling one of the requirements in the area of seed integrity, purity and traceability.

"We are happy that the farmers have been able to make observations of the performance of the new hybrids and we will make sure that we do not delay the process of government approval of these hybrids," he said.

The new hybrids are ABH12, ABH31 and ABH43. Apart from being resistant to diseases they also have good leaf quality. Enditem