Fertiliser variety to enhance seed germination

CEREAL farmers in the northern zone regions have every reason to smile following the recent introduction of YaraVita SeedLift that supports crops growing and resilience against unpredictable weather patterns.

A product of Yara Tanzania, the new kid on the block is designed specifically for seed treatment to ensure that crops get off to a flying start, according to Masanja Mabalawasha, an Assistant Farm Manager with Mawenzi Farms, located on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro.

Speaking during a farmers’ field day at the weekend, the agronomist observed that the new variety of fertiliser was now defying the odds, despite the pangs of climate change.

“This is a drought resistant fertiliser known for reducing stress to a crop,” he said.

Mr Mabalawasha further revealed that the area had recorded a mere 118 millimeters of rainfall, yet the YaraVita SeedLift was still weathering the storm.

“It will cushion farmers against the effects of unpredictable weather patterns and invasion of crop pests and also increases Glutent content, a protein naturally found in some grains including wheat, barley, and rye,” he added.

Mr Petro John Munyuki, a farmer attached to NAFAKA Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) in Engare Nairobi in Siha District, oozed confidence on the prospects of registering bumper harvest once they use the fertiliser on their farms.

Mr Munyuki, who is also a signatory of a cooperative society which recently pocketed 257m/- from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) after the 2021/22 drought left them counting losses on their fields, said they were now rejecting other varieties since the introduction of YaraVita SeedLift.

“The experience we had in the past was enough to look for other economic activities, but with the introduction of this new variety, we would want to give it a second shot,” he asserts.

Introduced in January this year, the fertiliser has also been registered by the Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority (TFRA).

It has five components; namely Zinc, phosphorous, nitrogen, calcium and organic components whose benefits also include proper rooting of crops, the adaptation of climate change, soil health and increased production among others.