By Mustapha Yauri
Farmers participating in the Tela maize trial at Tomato Jos Farms, Kangimi, Igabi LGA Kaduna State, have hailed the seed variety for its impressive yield.
The farmers also hailed the seed for its resilience to pests, and adaptability to low rainfall conditions.
The farmers made the disclosure during a field visit organised by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), in collaboration with Tomato Jos Farms, in Kangimi Igabi LGA on Friday.
The farmers, who took part in the one-hectare demonstration coordinated by Tomato Jos and AATF, said the new maize variety had outperformed expectations despite the dry spell experienced during the 2025 farming season.
Malama Hindatu Bala, a female farmer from Halilu Road, Maraban Jos, Igabi LGA, said the maize seed she planted on her quarter-hectare plot showed “excellent performance” in growth, pest resistance, and cob size.
“This seed saved me extra money on pest control because I didn’t need to spray as much as usual.
“It also did well with the little rainfall we had. I plan to expand my farm next season,” Bala said.
She added that many female farmers in her area were eager to adopt Tela maize but were constrained by its high cost.
Bala appealed to the government and relevant stakeholders to make the seed more affordable and accessible to boost productivity and household income.
Similarly, another participant, Musa Aliyu, who planted about 6.5kg of Tela maize on a quarter-hectare, said the variety germinated well and matured quickly, with strong growth even under dry conditions.
“Farmers around me struggled with pests and sprayed their fields several times, but my Tela maize remained unaffected.
“I am expecting a bumper harvest of about 20 bags of 100kg maize,” he said.
Aliyu said that several farmers in his community had already shown interest in adopting Tela Maize in the next planting season after witnessing his results.
Mr Emmanuel Omale, Farms Operations Manager at Tomato Jos, said the farm’s collaboration with AATF was aimed at promoting sustainable and productive agriculture for smallholder farmers.
“Our 700-hectare farm works closely with smallholder farmers, and this partnership with AATF is helping us introduce smart and resilient agricultural inputs that can make farming easier, more affordable, and more sustainable,” Omale said.
He stated that four smallholder farmers participated in the one-hectare Tela maize trial and all confirmed its high yield and pest resistance.
“As we move into the next season, our focus will be on encouraging wider adoption of the variety,” he added.
Also speaking, Mr Taiwo Kayode, Technical Agronomist at Golden Fertilizer, said the company’s collaboration with AATF on the demonstration farms showed strong synergy between the Tela Maize seed and Golden Fertilizer.
“The results are very promising. Farmers’ testimonies show good adaptation of the Tela Maize seed to local conditions,” Kayode said.
He, therefore, urged the government to improve security in farming areas to encourage more production.
Mr Olawale Ojo, Hybrid Seed Market Development Manager at AATF, said the foundation was working to dispel misconceptions surrounding Tela maize and to build farmers’ confidence in adopting the improved seed variety. (NAN)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
