Staff Writer
Leading seed producer Seed Co says it is diversifying its product portfolio in response to the growing challenges posed by climate change.
The company’s annual report for 2024 highlighted the dual impact of climate change on the agricultural sector stating that while extreme weather events and drought disrupt farming, climate-resilient seeds offer opportunities for adaptation and growth.
To address the challenges of rainfall variability and create new markets, Seed Co said it is optimising its research and development, production, and commercialisation efforts to develop climate-smart crop varieties.
The varieties are designed to deliver high yields, early maturation, disease and pest resistance, efficient water use, and heat and drought tolerance.
The company’s initiatives in this area have already boosted productivity across various agricultural regions.
The company said it also champions traditional, drought-resistant small grains such as sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet or cowpeas.
“These climate solutions influence household and national seed/food security despite adverse climate impacts. Data confirms these climate adaptation efforts strengthen agricultural and social resilience over the long term. We continue innovating to capture emerging opportunities in sustainable, resource-efficient seed technologies,” Seed Co’s annual report stated.
The group said it closely monitors climate change impacts to strategically develop risk mitigation solutions.
It highlighted that in-depth analyses underpin the diversification of its product portfolio and agronomic advisory services tailored to shifting weather patterns.
Seed Co said water conservation technologies such as minimum tillage, tied ridging and zero-tillage (pfumvudza) are championed to counter climate impacts.
It said each market segment receives varieties and seed volumes tailored to local conditions to help build resilience by empowering farmers with suitable adaptive tools.
“Performance tracking confirms these initiatives stabilize yields and food security amid climate variability. Sizeable research and development expenditures position Seed Co at the forefront of developing sustainable agriculture solutions increasingly vital to communities,” Seed Co said.
