DTMA & WEMA: Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties and Water Efficient Maize Varieties

Enhance farm's resilience with DTMA and WEMA maize varieties, ensuring consistent yields even in unpredictable weather.

These seed technologies, developed through conventional and biotechnological methods, bolster the maize plant's ability to withstand acute soil drying and low water supply. They outperform traditional varieties under various levels of water stress, offering resilience in both dry and intermittently wet climates.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 8/9

Cost: $$$ 0.8—1.2 USD/kg

Seed selling cost

ROI: $$$ 240 USD

Income per Ha

0.6 ton/Ha

Yield increase

20—30 %

Larger grain harvest than common type

IP

Unknown

Problem

Dependence on Rainfall: Over 90% of African maize farming is rainfed, leaving crops vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns.
Yield Instability: Conventional varieties are highly sensitive to water availability, leading to inconsistent yields.
Crop Failure Risk: Insufficient rainfall can result in complete crop loss, jeopardizing livelihoods.

Solution

Enhanced Resilience: DTMA and WEMA outperform conventional varieties under various water stress levels.
Increased Productivity: Adoption of these varieties leads to substantial increases in maize grain production.
Improved Crop Resilience: Crops become more robust, with heightened resistance to dry spells and low rainfall.

Key points to design your business plan

For Manufacturers

Producing Drought tolerant maize varieties technology provides a cost-effective and sustainable solution, addressing water stress, improving productivity and resilience to adverse rainfall, empowers diverse farming communities, contributing to food security and poverty reduction.

To efficiently multiply the seed, you need to source Foundation or Registered seed according to your position in the seed development process. The multiplication of the technology requires purchasing a commercial license.

Your potential customers are : wholesale distributors of seed to retailers, and to development projects, government agencies, and NGOs.

Building strong partnerships with wholesale distributor networks is key to the success of your business.

For sellers

Selling Drought tolerant maize varieties technology not only provides a valuable product but also fosters closer engagement with users while simultaneously contributing to food security and poverty reduction on a global scale.

To successfully navigate this market, you need to know where to source Drought tolerant maize varieties in bulk, identify efficient transportation methods, and explore suitable storage facilities

Your potential customer base is: small, local retailers, development projects, producers, and producer cooperatives or associations.

For Users

Using Drought tolerant maize varieties offers a cost-effective, sustainable solution to address water stress, improving productivity, and empowers diverse farming communities.

As key partners you need sellers of Drought tolerant maize varieties.

The cost structure, one Kg price of Aflasafe, is set at $0.8-1.2 USD.

You need to estimate the profit realized with the use of the technology

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Others: Positive medium

The poor: Positive medium

Under 18: Positive medium

Women: Positive medium

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

Water use: Much less water used

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mozambique	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Africa	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid		–		–
Humid	–	–	–	–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 1: no poverty

Selection: Choose the appropriate DTMA or WEMA variety based on local climate and soil conditions.
Planting: Follow standard maize planting practices, ensuring optimal soil and fertilizer management.
Nutrient Optimization: In low-fertility soils, supplement with inorganic fertilizers to enhance nutrient uptake.
Complementary Practices: Consider legume intercropping, manure application, and mulching for added nutrients and water retention.