VOA慢速英語: 改良種子可以幫助非洲養(yǎng)活自己

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Large governmental organizations controlled theproduction of seeds in Africa for many years. Owners of small farms had tobuy their seeds from these agencies. But now there is an effort to makeseeds from other suppliers available to African farmers. The new, improvedseeds might someday help Africa feed itself.

Edward Mabaya grew up in Zimbabwe. There were ten children in his family.His father was a construction worker. His mother farmed their land. He saysthe small farm was very successful because his mother used different kindsof seeds.

He says it was a time when many new kinds of seeds were coming intoZimbabwe. He said some farmers began to use them and increased their cropproduction. Mr. Mabaya said his parents used the money earned from thosecrops to send all their children to school.

Mr. Mabaya is now a researcher at Cornell University in New York. He isworking on a project that he hopes will give other small farmers the samechance his parents had.

He leads The African Seed Access Index (TASAI), which researches Africa’sseed industry. The organization was launched in March. It is a joint effort ofCornell University, a non-profit group called Market Matters, Inc. and the U.S.Department of Agriculture.

Farmers purchasing seed from an agro-dealer outlet. (Photo credit: Market Matters Inc.)

TASAI hopes to provide improved seeds to owners of small farms. Mr.Mabaya says Africa’s seed industry is complex and can be inefficient. Hesays TASAI will try to identify areas of the industry that can be improved.

Some private seed developers are operating in Africa but not many. And theyhave not worked to develop new seeds. Most farmers in Africa use the sameseeds they have been planting for many years, unlike farmers in the Westernworld. The seeds have not been improved to resist disease or toleratedrought.

George Bigirwa works at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa orAGRA. He says there are not enough improved seeds in Africa to supply themillions of farmers who need them.

“I remember when before AGRA came in, in some countries like BurkinaFaso, like Mali, even Ghana, there were no seed companies. At least todayyou have an average of about six to eight seed companies in place. However,looking at the amount of seed each company produces, that is still very little.”

He says improved seeds can help small farmers increase their production bysix times.

Mr. Mabaya says this difference can be enough to help farmers who are nowgrowing just enough food to feed their families. He says instead they couldgrow crops to sell, as well. He says that could help them escape poverty.

Mr. Mabaya says there is still much work to be done to fully develop Africa’sseed industry. But he says if seed companies and farmers in Africa continueto use the same agricultural technology the rest of the world uses, Africa willsomeday be able to feed itself.

I’m Marsha James.

Hilary Heuler reported this story from Nairobi. Christopher Jones-Cruisewrote it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

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Words in This Story

access – n. being able to use or get something

inefficient – adj. not capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time or energy; not efficient

tolerate – v. to allow (something that is bad or unpleasant) to exist, happen or be done

Do farmers in your country use improved seeds? We want to hear from you.Write your thoughts in the comments section.