Suakoko, Bomg County - The Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P), lifts 800 kilograms of certified seeds for distribution among 52 smallholder farmers for seed multiplication across Bong County.

Making the disclosure Tuesday, June 12, 2024, at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), Francis Ndormahun, project focal point reveals that the consignment includes two varieties of lowland rice, 400 kilograms of Nerica L-19, and 400 kilograms of Suakoko-8. The distribution covers five districts, including Sanoyea, Salala, Panta, Kpi, and Suakoko.

Receiving the consignment on behalf of senior project staff at the Ministry of Agricultural, Gaspard M. Johnson, STAR-P Nimba County focal person, says the distribution which is intended to intensify seed multiplication is going to cover smallholder farmers in the targeted districts in Bong County

STAR-P, a World Bank-funded project being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Central Agricultural Research Institute to develop a demonstration site for rice production and training of smallholder rice farmers for production intensification.

Harvested on January 31, 2024, on each of the 16 bags of 50 kilograms net weight, the seed purity level is at 84 percent, followed by moisture content at 12.2 percent with 92 percent germination. In January this year, the two rice varieties were being explored in lowland cultivation. As part of project activities, technical and post-harvesting skills are being harnessed at the developed site based at the CARI in Suakoko, Bong County.