RZ Afrisem, a joint venture between Rijk Zwaan and East-West seeds has unveiled its first hybrid vegetable varieties tailored for the African market.
The first aubergines in the trial fields are now in production in Tanzania. Until the RZ Afrisem trial no vegetable varieties were bred specifically for African growers. Now the jv is developing commercial hybrid varieties with improved traits for tropical regions. The new types have higher yields and exhibit better resistance to diseases than the varieties traditionally cultivated in tropical Africa. The step is to stimulate seed production of the varieties.
The RZ Afrisem demo field is open to any interested vegetable grower. In addition to displaying the improved varieties, the field also hosts demonstrations of a range of different cultivation techniques.
