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DuPont Pioneer boosting corn production in Africa

DuPont Pioneer is working with African farmers to boost productivity on more than 87 million corn acres.

DuPont regional director in Africa Prabdeep Bajwa says there are millions of small growers across the continent, but their yields average just 32 bushels per acre.

“DuPont Pioneer has been invested in Africa for several years now (and) in some countries several decades, and our primary product is corn hybrids.  We bring the best technology and breed it locally.”

The company is partnering with countries in eastern and southern Africa to not only develop corn hybrids specific to the region, but to make that technology more available to farmers.

“In countries like Ethiopia and Zambia, we have partnered with the government’s agriculture ministries and work with them and actually give out the seed, other inputs, training, agronomy and all that (to) get them used to the technology for a couple of years.”

Bajwa says as yields increase, the financial situation improves and farmers are able to invest in DuPont products and services.

He tells Brownfield most of the corn produced in Africa is for human consumption, a staple food in the sub-Saharan.