Page 11 - AWA Vol.41-No.3

HORTICULTURE

Bayer Opens Maize Seed Facility in Zambia to Support

Food Security for about 30 Million People

ayer today announced the open-
Bing of a new maize seed facility
in Kabwe, Zambia. Through the 32-mil-
lion-euro facility alongside further
investments in organization and the
grower network, Bayer triples its ex-
isting capacity for high-quality maize
seed production in the country in
2025. This capacity ultimately converts
into annual maize consumption of ap-
proximately 30 million people in the
region. The seed output is expected to
further increase in the coming years.
The high-yielding seeds will reach 6.4
million smallholder farmers in Zambia
and other countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa this year and up to 10 million
by 2030. To date, the investment is the
second largest private investment by a
German company in Zambia. difference for the livelihoods of small- The new facility is anticipated to
“Millions of people around the world, holder farmers, their families, and stimulate economic growth in the re-
gion by creating jobs and business
even their communities,” said Debra
particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, suf- Mallowah, Head for Bayer’s Crop Sci- opportunities. Bayer plans to employ
fer from severe food insecurity. End- ence Division in Africa. By addressing 80 permanent staff members and over
ing hunger is central to our mission up to 10 million smallholder farmers, 100 seasonal workers and contractors
at Bayer. With our new seed facility in the investment significantly helps to at the site. Additionally, approximately
Zambia, we want to make a meaningful 15,000 seasonal on-farm jobs will be
contribution to that crucial goal,” said advance Bayer’s goal of reaching 21.5 generated through Bayer’s field opera-
Chief Executive Officer Bill Anderson, million smallholders in Africa and 100 tions and those of contract growers to
million globally by 2030.
who inaugurated the site alongside his produce the seeds.
excellency Hakainde Hichilema, Presi- Investment Is an Important Pillar
dent of Zambia. for Bayer’s Growth Strategy in Af- Bayer is committed to being an active
rica member of the communities it oper-
Facility to Benefit Smallholder ates in. As such, two initiatives to sup-
Farmers Who Are Essential to Food While addressing food security chal- port the communities around Kabwe
Security lenges in the region and supporting are underway. The neighborhood next
smallholder farmers, the investment
Despite its vast arable land and sig- to the new facility will benefit from im-
nificant agricultural potential, particu- also represents a significant business proved water accessibility and storage
larly in Sub-Saharan Africa, one in five opportunity for Bayer. Africa is one through a revived borehole for water
people on the continent face food and of the fastest-growing markets with supply, a new tank, and pipes, funded
nutrition insecurity. Key reasons for substantial agricultural potential. The by Bayer.
this include limited agronomic knowl- demand for Bayer’s Dekalb brand hy- As a life science company, Bayer is
edge and access to modern technol- brids has shown considerable growth also supporting the local healthcare
ogy. With its new site, Bayer is helping over the years, surpassing supply. As system. Currently, residents living
to address these challenges by in- such, the site is a key component of near the site must travel up to 20 ki-
creasing both the quantity and espe- Bayer’s growth strategy for Africa, with lometers to access the nearest health
cially the quality of available certified the aspiration of doubling the Crop facility, disproportionately affecting
seeds, offering higher yields and en- Science Division’s business on the women and children. Based on a Pub-
hanced resilience to climate and dis- continent by 2030. lic Private Partnership model in col-
ease. Alongside stewardship and ag- To this end, another 35 million euros laboration with Zambia’s Ministry of
ronomic training, these conventional until 2028 are earmarked for further Health, the Municipality of Kabwe, the
hybrid maize seeds empower farmers expansion of the seed production net- NGO Project Concern Zambia, and the
in Zambia and neighboring countries work across Sub-Saharan Africa. Bay- local community, Bayer will fund the
to produce more food more efficiently, er’s expertise in maize seed breeding establishment of a new health center,
thereby increasing their productivity and production holds particular poten- which aims to provide essential health-
and contributing to food security. tial because it is a staple food crop in care services to more than 10,000 resi-
This particularly accounts for small- Africa; for instance, in Zambia, a maize dents, including Bayer employees and
holder farmers, who on average culti- meal known as “nshima,” constitutes a their dependents.
vate crops on less than 10 hectares and significant part of the daily diet, pro- “The new facility will help us improve
produce up to 70 percent of the food viding 60 per cent of caloric needs. food security, empower smallholder
consumed on the continent. “Enhanced Bayer to Support the Economy and farmers, and support communities
productivity not only increases food Local Communities in the Kabwe in numerous countries on the African
security, but it makes a tremendous Area continent. It’s also a Circle 11 on enquiry card
Vol. 41 No. 3 9