Monsanto Kenya Ltd Launches DK777

A new maize seed variety tolerant to Maize Lethal Necrosis Diseases

Staff Group Photo during the Launch

In November 2016, Monsanto Kenya Limited launched, DK777, a new maize seed variety that is tolerant to Maize Lethal Necrosis Diseases (MLND) in Bomet County. MLND has been a big threat to the yield potential of many small-holders farmers in the region who largely rely on maize farming for their livelihood. DK777 is uniquely made to thrive in the medium to medium-high altitude areas such as parts of Bomet, Kericho, Narok and neighboring areas, which are well known for their contribution to Kenya’s agriculture and consist largely of small scale and a few large scale farmers. At the time of the launch, the areas were experiencing short rains which started in October and ended in December, making the launch timely to encourage farmers to consider the variety then and in the next planting season which kicks off in February, 2017.

Key Features of DK777 include:

  • 130 –150 Days to Maturity.
  • Stable yielder across environments.
  • Potentially Double Cobbing.
  • Tolerant to Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND).
  • Tolerant to Cob Rot.
  • Good seed quality i.e. flint (Suitable for green maize, sweet to taste and good pound-ability when dry).
  • Uniform Cob Placement thus making it easy to harvest .
  • Does not lodge easily i.e. has good stand-ability
Spot the Difference: (Left) Maize affected by MLND (Right) Tolerant DK777 with double cobbing

To ensure DK777’s introduction did not go unnoticed, its ceremonial unveil was preceded by a 3 day roadshow across 15 key towns along key routes leading to the demo field at the Bomet Prison Farm. The roadshow was in partnership with a regional radio station, Kass FM, that broadcasts in one of the local vernacular languages “Kalenjin” which is the pre-dominant language of farmers in the South Rift region and where DK777 would be grown.

The roadshow took an edutainment angle with leading Kass FM radio hosts and popular local musicians present to engage audiences on who turned up in large numbers on key advantages of the variety and mobilizing them to attend the variety launch event.

Also present during the roadshow was distributor, Siana Agro Supplies and teams from various business units at Monsanto, who issued sample seeds to the over 2,000 farmers who turned up to the unveiling ceremony.

Key guests and stakeholders included representatives from the County Government of Bomet, Chairman of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Board, Mr. Ronald Osumba, who encouraged the youth to take up farming whose output had been advanced with the onset on technology in the agriculture, USAID KAVES, Farm Inputs Promotion Africa (FIPs, Cereal Growers Association, East African Growers Association, The Seed Trade Association (STAK) among others.

Monsanto will continue to interact with farmers and farmers associations in the regions to popularize DK777 and recommend uptake of good agronomic practices. DEKALB maize seed is also available in other varieties namely DKC90-89, DK80-31 and DK80-33, which are however suited to other agroecological zones.