PAC 501: High yielding and drought tolerant white grain sorghum hybrid

Unleash Prosperity with Our Drought-Tolerant White Grain Sorghum Hybrid

The high-yielding white grain sorghum hybrid, PAC 501, is a breakthrough technology offering significantly improved productivity. With an early maturity cycle of 95-100 days, it yields between 4 and 4.5 tons per hectare, which is higher than the average compared to conventional varieties that typically produce 2 tons per hectare. In optimal conditions, it can reach a potential yield of 11 tons per hectare. PAC 501 is drought-tolerant, providing reliable yields even under moisture stress, making it an ideal choice for regions with unpredictable rainfall. This variety is also nutritionally valuable, featuring high fiber and carbohydrate content, and is well-suited for human consumption and use in breweries. PAC 501 is currently used in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, and across Southern Africa, reshaping sorghum cultivation by increasing resilience and productivity in diverse environmental conditions.

This technology is pre-validated.

9•9

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

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Increases economic opportunities through higher crop yields, providing more reliable income from farming and commercial activities such as brewing.

The poor: Positive high

Improves resilience to drought and ensures higher yields even in challenging conditions, helping alleviate food insecurity in low-income areas.

Under 18: Positive medium

Enhances food security by providing nutritious grains with high fiber and carbohydrate content, promoting better nutrition and health.

Women: Positive high

Supports women farmers by offering a drought-tolerant crop that ensures stable yields, improving food production and income generation for families.

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

PAC 501 is drought-tolerant, helping farmers maintain productivity in regions with unpredictable or limited rainfall.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

PAC 501 prepares farmers to better handle climate variability, making their farming practices more resilient.

Carbon footprint: Much less carbon released

By reducing the need for intensive inputs like irrigation, PAC 501 can help lower the carbon footprint of sorghum farming.

Water use: Much less water used

It reduces the need for excessive irrigation, making it efficient in water-scarce areas.

Problem

Low Yields:
- Sorghum cultivation often results in below-par yields, posing significant challenges for both food security and the income of farmers.
- The utilization of inefficient cultivation methods along with the cultivation of less productive sorghum strains are major factors contributing to the persistently low yields observed in sorghum production.
Moisture Stress:
- Sorghum crops frequently encounter periods of moisture stress, which have detrimental effects on their growth and overall development.
- The insufficient availability of water during critical growth phases of sorghum plants can lead to substantial reductions in yields, exacerbating the challenges faced by farmers in achieving profitable harvests.

Solution

High Yields: Achieving remarkable sorghum yields, addressing the challenge of historically low production.
Moisture Stress Resilience: Demonstrating robust performance under moisture stress conditions, mitigating the impact of water scarcity on crop growth.
Optimal Responsiveness to Inputs: Highly responsive to key inputs, particularly fertilizer, optimizing the use of resources for improved yield and quality.
Double Yield Potential: This hybrid seed offers a doubled yield potential compared to Open Pollinated Varieties (OPVs), directly addressing the issue of low yields in traditional sorghum cultivation.
Increased Return on Investment: Farmers can expect a significantly higher return on investment due to the doubled yield potential, marking a substantial improvement over conventional farming practices.

Key points to design your project

The technology's enhanced sorghum yields play a vital role in poverty alleviation by bolstering farmers' income and livelihoods. It also addresses food insecurity by increasing food availability and access to nutritious crops. These improved yields positively impact community health by providing a stable food source rich in essential nutrients. Additionally, the technology's drought tolerance feature fosters climate resilience in agriculture. Enhanced cultivation practices further contribute to land resource conservation and biodiversity by optimizing land use and reducing pressure on natural habitats.

To integrate this technology into your project and outline the necessary activities and prerequisites, follow these steps:

Conduct awareness campaigns to highlight the benefits of increased yields, improved nutrition, and climate resilience associated with the hybrid sorghum.
Collaborate with public agencies and private entities to develop investment and regulatory frameworks aimed at formalizing seed delivery systems for the hybrid sorghum.
Provide capacity building initiatives for seed producers focusing on quality assurance standards and the multiplication of certified seeds of the hybrid sorghum.
Facilitate access to low-interest credit options for seed companies to expand their seed portfolios with the hybrid sorghum and micro-loan programs for farmers to access these improved varieties.

Considering that the High Yielding White Grain Sorghum Hybrid typically incurs a total cost of 28 USD/hectare (average cost of seeds for a farmer), it is recommended to associate the seed with other inputs such as crop protection and fertilizers for optimal results. Estimate the required quantity of seeds for your project based on an estimated total input cost of 250 USD/hectare for an average sorghum smallholder farmer.

Ensure adequate training and post-training support by engaging a team of trainers, and develop communication materials such as flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to promote the technology.

Collaboration with private seed companies, cooperatives, seed growers, and farmers is crucial for the successful implementation of the technology.

Cost: $$$ 28 USD/ha

Average cost of seeds for farmer

ROI: $$$ 288 %

Gross income/inputs costs

800 USD/ha

average gross income

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

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	Tested	–Not adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	Tested	–Not adopted
Egypt	Tested	–Not adopted
Ghana	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	Tested	Adopted
Niger	Tested	–Not adopted
South Africa	Tested	–Not adopted
Sudan	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	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

It improves food security by significantly increasing crop yields and providing a reliable source of nutrition, even in drought-prone areas.

Goal 3: good health and well-being

The high nutritional value of PAC 501 contributes to improved human health and well-being.

Goal 13: climate action

It contributes to climate resilience by providing a crop option that is adaptable in drought-prone regions.

Sowing in Rainy Season:

Rate: Sow at 7.5 kg per hectare or 3 kg per acre.
Plant Height: Expected height ranges from 180 to 190 cm.
Spacing: Maintain a spacing of 45 x 20 cm between seeds.
Leaf Characteristics: Leaves are dark green and broad.

Characteristics:

Drought, Pest, and Disease Resistance: Ensure the variety selected demonstrates resistance to drought, pests, and diseases.
Tolerance to Shootfly and Stem Borer: Choose a variety that shows tolerance to common pests like shootfly and stem borer.
Grain Characteristics: Look for pearly white, bold grains.

Maturity: