In an effort to boost agricultural output, ZANZIBAR intends to approve WDR-73, a novel rice variety resistant to drought that was created by the Shanghai Agro-Biological Gene Center. Since its introduction in March, the variety has shown encouraging outcomes.
The new rice variety’s pilot experiment has proven successful, according to Ali Khamis Juma, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources, and Livestock in Zanzibar, who made this statement recently. By the end of the year, he said, the government might approve it for commercial usage.
The PS made these comments while in Zanzibar for a visit by specialists from China Agricultural University (CAU), who had come to evaluate the progress of the new rice variety.
One acre of the drought-tolerant rice was planted at the Kibonde-Mzungu farm, which is outside of Zanzibar. The crop was harvested after 115 days, producing 2.5 tons of rice per acre.
The rice type is especially suitable for higher land and matures 10 to 20 days quicker than local kinds, according to Dr. Liu Zhang of the Shanghai Agro-Biological Gene Center.
He emphasized how this rice might help lower methane emissions, which are linked to global warming, and greatly increase food production in African nations.
Significant benefits of the rice include its low water requirement (about one-third compared to traditional types) and its capacity to adapt to low-water conditions.
According to experts, this new kind of rice reduces the amount of fertilizer and carbon footprint associated with growing while simultaneously increasing yields in areas where there is a shortage of food. Dr. Liu hypothesized that it could yield as much as hybrid rice and fare well in less-than-ideal fields, saving labor by enabling direct seeding as opposed to raising seedlings.
According to Dr. Salum Faki Hamad of the Zanzibar Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), the Chinese specialists first planted less seeds in their trial. The yield has been quite substantial. He thinks this cultivar has the potential to change Zanzibari farming and increase farmers’ harvest-related incomes.
Since rice is a staple diet for many people, Dr. Hamad urged rice growers in Unguja and Pemba to obtain the weather-resistant seeds.
China has a long history of assisting Africa in achieving agricultural self-sufficiency, and it has given similar rice strains that are drought-resistant and save water to Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, and other East African nations.
