Tanzanian farmers to benefit from high yielding hybrid rice varieties

AATF, the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), and Hybrid East Africa Limited (HEAL) conducted a second season on-farm multilocation trial (MLT) to evaluate four rice hybrids for adaptability and performance in comparison to the three best commercially released rice inbreds in Tanzania across five locations: Babati, Ukiriguru, Kilombero, Morogoro and Mombo.  

The four rice hybrids were among six hybrids evaluated during the first season MLTs; concluded in December 2020. Data from the trial indicated that the four rice hybrids yielded higher than the best commercial inbred checks. The best hybrid yielded 8.1 tons/ha compared to 7.6 tons/ha for the inbred rice variety. In addition, the best hybrid matured nine days earlier.

During the reproductive and ripening stages of the rice hybrids, over 150 farmers were engaged in a Participatory Variety Selection (PVS) in August 2020. The PVS allowed the farmers to select and rank their most preferred rice hybrids based on yields, early maturity, grain size and shape, milling quality, disease resistance, aroma among other qualities. 46% of the engaged farmers were female.

The four best performing hybrids were ranked among the top five most farmers preferred hybrids and were advanced to the second season of MLTs that was planted in May 2021 in the five trial sites. This trial will be concluded in August 2021 and promising hybrids registered for testing in National Performance Trials (NPTs) and for Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) in collaboration with the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI).

Commercial release of the new early maturing, high yielding hybrid rice varieties into the Tanzanian market will provide farmers with an opportunity to significantly increase rice productivity and rapidly propel the country towards rice self-sufficiency.

Speaking during farmers’ field day held at Dakawa Township in Morogoro region, tailored among others to give the over 400 involved farmers a platform to select the best varieties, Dr. Jerome Mghase, manager for TARI-Dakawa Center, said that despite being among best countries for the production of rice, the production is still low due to shortage of enough hybrid seed varieties.

The country managed to increase its rice production from 2.2 metric tonnes to at least 4.4 metric tonnes during the 2019/2020 season.

According to Edith Kouko, the Project Officer for Hybrid Rice Project at AATF, the project is working with private seed companies and other partners along the rice value chain through AHyRA to ensure professional development, promotion and sustainability of hybrid technologies towards rice sufficiency in Africa.

“Hybrid technology is one of the fastest means of achieving food security as an increase in productivity has potential in meeting rapidly increasing consumption rates in Africa,” she said.