RZ Afrisem, a collaboration between breeding companies Rijk Zwaan and East West Seeds, has put on display its first aubergine varieties that have been specifically bred for the African market.
According to the group, the newly developed varieties generate a higher yield and exhibit better resistances to diseases than the varieties traditionally cultivated in tropical Africa.
'Up until recently, virtually no vegetable varieties were being bred specifically for African growers,' the group explains. 'By developing commercial hybrid varieties with improved traits for tropical regions of Africa, RZ Afrisem is now transforming this situation.'
The RZ Afrisem demo field is currently open to any vegetable growers who are interested in visiting it. In addition to displaying the improved varieties, the demo field also hosts demonstrations of a range of different cultivation techniques. By comparing their current situation with the new possibilities, growers gain insights into how they could take their own cultivation activities to a new level.
The group's demo field in Tanzania, where the varieties are on display, was subject to a recent visit by a delegation from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
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