Shanga Ubone

The phrase that pays
PAN 53 famously known as shanga Ubone in Zambian local dialect is one hybrid seed variety which has surpassed any expectations of both the farmers and researchers at large, time and time again.

Visiting PAN 53 farmers across the country, one cannot help but notice the impact the seed has had on farmers’ lives over the years. Benefits such as attaining higher yields, building modern houses, buying farm equipment, enjoying food security and many more are some of the resounding success stories from those who have embraced quality seeds.After seeing how his neighbours were excelling, he decided to venture into his own farming activities. With limited equipment, he started as a peasant farmer, but he did not see any progress until he started planting PAN 53 seed variety. He first saw PAN 53 maize variety in his neighbours farm and was motivated to ask which variety he grew. “Upon asking, I was shocked as my neighbour told me; Shanga Ubone. Thinking it was a big joke, my neighbour repeated the same answer, Shanga Ubone. Only then I realised PAN 53, had been christened Shanga Ubone due to the yields the farmers had experienced. I looked for the PAN 53 variety and immediately planted it, because I wanted to experience what I saw there and today I can only echo my neighbour to all my friends Shanga Ubone,” he explains.

Yields and beating the drought
The farmer explained that since then, the harvest he has been getting from PAN 53 seed variety has been huge and motivating. He recalls how he has been increasing yields over the past four years owing it to PAN 53 seed variety. “I have been farming for many years and it is only through planting PAN 53 that I have attained the highest yields per hectare. I have never experienced such high yields and this is what has motivated me to always plant PAN 53 seed variety and tell others Shanga Ubone,” he says.

“It is not easy to achieve such a high yield, but with PAN 53 it is possible. Employing good management and agriculture practices combined with PAN 53 seed has been the key to achieving high yields,” he explains. PAN 53 is the best in beating the drought and it shows an excellent germination percentage. He also says the seed is able to grow well even with minimum rainfall. He believes that with farming, one should always strive towards doing the right things at the right time. “If one misses it at first, it is very difficult to achieve high yields. I make sure of the right seed variety, have right plant population, apply fertiliser at the right time and control weeds at the right time,” He explained.

The advancement of technology has enabled farmers to access information about any type of the product they need in their farms with ease. Access to information in real time and being on the loop with the research findings and advancement enables farmers to make the most appropriate decisions when procuring their seeds. A farmer would want to purchase a seed variety which will guarantee high yields, resistant to diseases, tolerant to drought and the issue of cost has to be considered.

Characteristics of PAN 53
It has high tolerance to drought and can perform even under minimal rainfall

• Shanga Upone has a very good husk cover, which enables successful development of cob
• It is regarded as a stable crop across regions, this is in comparison with other varieties like PAN 4M-23, PAN 5M-37 just to name a few
• PAN 53 has a nitrogen use efficiency- this makes the hybrid variety a good seed because of its susceptibility to take up nitrogen which enables to develop and grow progressively 
• It has high kilo weight due to heavy cobs with a lot of kennels 
• Average yield like to be acquired from one hactre is approximately 10MT 
• Shanga ubone takes 125-135 to maturity, this is close to 4 months at maximum 
• It has high resistance to diseases; this resistance guarantees good yields and returns because of less cost of production required from the farmers end.

Why PAN 53
“In response to the global trending topic of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), a seed variety like PAN 53 aligns us a country in the right direction to enhancing food security, high incomes and protection of the environment for the generations to come” said says one of the researchers who has worked close to PANNAR for many years.

He reiterated that PAN 53’s ability to uptake nitrogen makes an ideal hybrid seed variety for farmers to consider because of its possibility to develop and consume nutrients availed to it. He also recommended Shanga Ubone because of its ability to deliver more yields, which enables not only the farmer but also the country to be food secure while making money from the surplus harvest.

“With the changing weather patterns, rainfall is not guaranteed sometimes, PAN 53 has demonstrated its ability to withstand these conditions and still deliver enormous yields. Because of this trait and not forgetting its resistance to diseases makes shanga ubone the best seed variety for your farm,” he said.

When Margaret started farming, initially it was so hard for her to make ends meet from the harvest she could get from her 3 acre investment; this was so because of many responsibilities she had which demanded huge chunks of money. In her quest to determine the best farming practices to increase the yield potential of her farm. Margaret stumbled upon a PANNAR agronomist who took her through numerous data (performance of shanga ubone) and she was interested to try out PAN 53 in her farm because she really needed a working strategy on increasing her yields and income subsequently.

Why should you buy PAN 53
If you are farmer who demands more and commit to achieving more from your farming investments then PAN 53 is your tool to get you there. This variety has the most intriguing traits worth considering; drought tolerance, High uptake of nitrogen, High mealie meal yield, Good grain quality, Excellent pound ability and High kilo weight

Farmers are employed to secure our country from starvation while making a living out of it. To do so, farmers ought to choose the best seed varieties which deliver more yields with less cost of production. PAN 53 is the right choice for you, try this today and experience what you have been missing in your farm.