Muyuka: Free maize seedlings distribution ongoing

The project, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is to ensure food security in the South West and Littoral Regions. Maize farmers in the Agro-Ecological Zone 4 that covers the South West and Littoral Regions have been converging and leaving the Muyuka Maize Seeds Processing Unit well-armed for the planting process.

They are given maize seeds depending on the size of their farms. At the Unit in Muyuka that has become a beehive, representatives of Common Initiative Groups (CIGs) and Farmer Cooperatives are signing out and leaving with huge bags full of maize seedlings. Individuals who do not belong to any group are equally given maize seeds for planting.

Statistics from the Muyuka Maize Seeds Processing Unit indicates that 150 tons of maize seeds were allocated for the South West Region while the Littoral Region has 128 tons. As of Monday April 18, 2016, from the total of 278 tons allocated for the two Regions, 245 tons of maize seeds have already been distributed. The maize seeds species, CMS 8704 packaged in 20kg bags, the supervisors in the field say, is the most suitable for the two Regions.

Thompson Tabe Ndip, Unit Head for Organization of Producers and the sector in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, says the 20kg bag can sufficiently be planted on one hectare of land. He hailed the results recorded since last year when CMS 8704 was launched. “Feedback from the field testifies that the average germination rate is above 94.5% with the maize crop resistant to diseases,” he pointed out.

To prevent farmers from consuming the maize, there is an imposing Seeds Treatment Machine at the site that selects, blows and treats maize with chemical before packaging. On why the free maize is distributed to farmers, Thompson Tabe Ndip said it is the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through its programme, the National Programme of Support for the Maize Sector abbreviated in French PNAFM.

It is to ensure food security. He indicated that farmers are free to come by and collect the maize seeds as 33 tons of undistributed maize seedlings are still at the Muyuka Unit.