KABAMANOJ F1: High yield and drought tolerant orange maize hybrid

Unleashing the Power of High-Yielding Orange Maize Across Africa!

The new maize variety, KABAMANOJ F1, effectively addresses challenges like drought, disease, and climate change impacts. With a short cycle—105 days for dry grain, 70-80 days for grilled cob, and 85 days for silage—it matures quickly, enhancing its resilience to harsh climatic conditions. Yielding up to 10 tons per hectare, and with a potential of 12 tons per hectare, this protein-rich maize is ideal for both human consumption and poultry farming. Registered with ECOWAS, KABAMANOJ F1 adapts well to African climates, contributing significantly to food security and sustainable agriculture.

This technology is pre-validated.

9•9

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

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Its increases yields, which boosts income and provides financial stability.

The poor: Positive high

Its helps lift communities out of food insecurity by providing a reliable crop that thrives in drought conditions.

Under 18: Positive medium

Its improves food security and nutrition for children, as the high yield and Vitamin A content of the maize contribute to better diets and health outcomes.

Women: Positive high

Its enhances their economic resilience, empowering them to contribute more to their households and communities, improving their social standing and financial independence.

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

It is specifically designed to perform well in drought-prone areas, making it highly adaptable to changing climate conditions.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

It provides a sustainable alternative to traditional maize varieties that may fail during dry seasons, increasing farmers' ability to withstand climate-related challenges.

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Water use: A bit less water used

Soil quality: Reduces soil health and fertility

Problem

Drought and Climate Change Effects:
- Insufficient rainfall and unpredictable weather patterns.
- Increased frequency and severity of droughts impacting maize growth.
Poor Yield:
- Inadequate agricultural practices leading to suboptimal productivity.
- Limited access to high-yielding maize varieties.
Long Maturity Period:
- Extended growth cycles delaying harvest and affecting overall efficiency.
- Challenges in aligning crop cycles with optimal planting seasons.
Pests and Diseases Attacks:
- Vulnerability to pests such as stem borers and diseases like maize streak virus.
- Insufficient pest and disease management strategies.

Solution

Reduced Growth Cycle:
- Short maturation period of 80-100 days, addressing the challenge of long maturity.
High Yields and Cob Characteristics:
- Impressive yields of up to 10 tonnes/ha.
- Substantial cob weight of 160 g and optimal cob length of 26 cm, combating poor yield issues.
Resistance to Stresses:
- Excellent resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, including drought, mitigating climate-related challenges.
Disease Tolerance:
- Robust defense against diseases, addressing vulnerability to pests and diseases.
Nutrient-Rich and Climate Adaptation:
- Protein-rich content enhances nutritional value.
- Specifically adapted to the African climate, aligning with climate change resilience needs.
ECOWAS Registration:
- Officially registered with ECOWAS, ensuring compliance with regional standards.

Key points to design your program

A Solution for maize farming in Africa

Kabamanoj F1 addresses major challenges in maize farming, particularly low yields and vulnerability to drought. Designed to perform in water-scarce conditions, this hybrid variety combines high productivity with resilience, offering a reliable source of nutrition and income even in challenging climates. In Kenya, farmers using Kabamanoj F1 have reported up to a 40% increase in yields compared to traditional maize varieties, even under low rainfall conditions.

This technology supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 2 by increasing yields and promoting food security, SDG 5 by empowering women farmers who frequently engage in maize production, and SDG 13 by reducing the reliance on water-intensive crops through its drought tolerance.

Its contributes to economic resilience by providing farmers with a dependable, high-yield crop and creating market opportunities through its rich orange color, which is naturally high in Vitamin A.

As part of the Maize technologies toolkit, this technology works in synergy with other innovations such as Striga bioherbicide. Together, they enhance the productivity and resilience of maize farming.

Kabamanoj F1 is an ideal choice for development programs focused on enhancing food security, farmer incomes, and sustainable agriculture. Partnerships with UPL organisation provide essential technical support and monitoring to maximize impact and ensure successful adoption of this hybrid maize variety in diverse farming communities.

Cost: $$$ 110 USD/ha

Seed cost

40 %

Yield increased

170 USD/ha

Operation cost

560 USD/ha

Benefit

IP

Unknown

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
Benin	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Guinea	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Senegal	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Togo	–No ongoing testing	–Not 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

By increasing maize yields and providing a reliable source of food even in drought-prone area.

Goal 5: gender equality

By empowering women farmers, who are often responsible for maize production in many African communities.

Goal 13: climate action

By reducing the reliance on water-intensive crops and enhancing resilience in the face of changing weather patterns, it supports climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Land Prep: Till and clear the land for optimal soil conditions.
Sowing: Plant 20 kg/ha of quality seeds with 0.80m row spacing and 0.20m plant spacing.
Weed Control: Manage weeds for nutrient efficiency and yield protection.
Irrigation: Ensure consistent moisture, especially in dry regions.
Fertilization: Apply fertilizers based on soil analysis and crop needs.
Pest & Disease Management: Employ integrated strategies for pest and disease control.
Harvest: Monitor maturity and harvest when cobs reach optimal size.