Accelerating hybrid maize adoption in West Africa: Learning from Zambia and Zimbabwe

5 June 2026

West Africa's transition from open-pollinated maize varieties to high-performing hybrids could significantly transform productivity, strengthen food security, and improve resilience for millions of smallholder farmers. To support this shift, National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) partners from Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Benin recently undertook a learning tour in Zambia and Zimbabwe, two countries with some of the most established hybrid maize systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

The tour, organized by IITA - CGIAR and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) under the Gates Foundation-funded "Resilient Maize Hybrids for Africa" initiative and CGIAR's Breeding for Tomorrow Science Program, aimed to strengthen partners' capacity in hybrid development, seed production, field trial implementation, and deployment strategies to accelerate hybrid maize adoption across West Africa.

Why hybrid maize matters

In Africa, maize is more than just another crop. It is a staple food for millions of households and remains central to food security, livelihoods, and economic stability across the continent. While West Africa is one of the continent's largest maize-producing regions, with countries such as Nigeria producing over 10 million metric tons annually, yields per hectare remain relatively low due to continued reliance on open-pollinated varieties (OPVs).

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