Farmers in Ghana's Bongo District are harvesting maize hybrids bred to survive dry spells and packed with extra nutrients, including vitamin A, iron, and zinc. The crop was planted late in a difficult season but has surprised even the agronomists who bred it. The demonstration was organised by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) under the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Phase II (TAAT II) Maize Compact.
Five improved hybrids were planted on plots in late July 2026, on land traditionally used for groundnut farming. Two of the hybrids, CSIR-SARIMAZ 4 and CSIR-SARIMAZ 5, are white maize varieties known for high yields and tolerance to fall armyworm, a pest that has damaged maize crops across northern Ghana. The other three, LY1409, LY2205, and EPVAH-34, are yellow maize hybrids developed through CSIR-SARI's biofortification breeding programme, carrying higher levels of provitamin A, iron, and zinc.
Dr Isaac Kodzo Amegbor, Maize Breeder at CSIR-SARI and the TAAT II Maize Compact Lead for Ghana, said the hybrids held up well against pest pressure in the demonstration fields. Dr Desmond Sunday Adogoba, an Innovation Scaling Specialist at CSIR-SARI, said the biofortified varieties were designed to tackle hidden hunger, a form of malnutrition where people eat enough food but still lack essential vitamins and minerals.
Farmers who attended the field day expressed encouragement by the hybrids' performance under difficult conditions. Lead farmer Alayine Grace said the hybrids' performance had convinced local growers to expand cultivation once the varieties are officially released. Abaabagre Halimatu, another farmer, was drawn to the nutritional benefits, hoping they could ease challenges many women face during pregnancy and childbirth.
The hybrids also showed encouraging tolerance to Striga, a parasitic weed that drains nutrients from maize roots, and to fall armyworm, both longstanding threats to maize yields in northern Ghana. Mr Andrews Atampugre, an Agricultural Extension Officer, said combining improved seeds with proper agronomic practices could cut production risks linked to climate variability.
The field day comes shortly after the Ghana Meteorological Agency warned of a strengthening El Niño weather pattern likely to bring a hotter, drier dry season from late November. CSIR-SARI and AATF aim to speed up the spread of climate-smart, nutrition-focused seed technologies among smallholder farmers, alongside better fertiliser use, pest and weed control, and improved storage practices.
The TAAT II Maize Compact is a joint effort to provide smallholder farmers with climate-resilient and nutritious maize varieties. With the successful demonstration of these hybrids, farmers in Bongo District and beyond may soon have access to improved maize varieties that can help them cope with drought and malnutrition.
Key points
- The maize hybrids were bred to survive dry spells and are enriched with essential nutrients like vitamin A, iron, and zinc.
- The demonstration was a collaboration between CSIR-SARI and AATF under the TAAT II Maize Compact.
- The hybrids showed tolerance to Striga and fall armyworm, common threats to maize yields in northern Ghana.
