Drought Tolerant Seeds to Tackle African Food Crisis

Scientists have now started to breed drought resistant¹ crops which they hope will combat East Africa's worst drought in 60 years.

More than 13 million people across Africa are facing severe food shortages. But as CRI's Su Yi reports, a new strain of maize² is now providing much needed hope.

 
Maize is a staple³ crop in East Africa, but with a shallow root system, the plant is heavily dependent on moisture within the soil.

Farmer Philip Makau has a maize granary installed in his own living room.

The success of his crop is down to a drought tolerant seed called KDV 4.

"In that three-quarter acre plot, I was getting less than a bag (of maize). But now, after using the Dryland Seed Company seeds, there's been great change. I'm getting five bags (of maize) in that small area."

Dryland Seed Company sells three types of drought-tolerant maize seed.

Edna Ngila is the co-director of the company.

"They appreciate our seeds. Farmers are saying that they're not losing a season anymore. Before, they were losing a season. We only have two seasons in a year in which to grow food. So, if you missed last season for example, it means you won't have food until the next season – it will take them about eight or nine months to grow another kind of food."

Scientists have been working to create plant varieties that can better deal with unfavorable weather conditions.

KDV 4 is one of around 20 varieties in Kenya known as "drought-tolerant" maize.

Dr. James Gethi is the national coordinator⁴ of the maize program at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.

"We start our process here, by planting all the different varieties of seeds- sometimes going up to hundreds - into a field like this. Then, after reaching a stage just before the seeds flower, you withdraw the water. Once you withdraw the water the plants grow, simulating an environment where the rain has stopped. Then at the end of the season, you check all the different varieties that you have, and check which ones have done the best."

A recent study predicts that drought-tolerant varieties of maize could boost harvests in 13 African countries by up to one third and generate up to 1.5 billion US dollars.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi.

1 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

2 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

3 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

4 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？