Kulima is collaborating with FAO to assess the sustainability of a project distributing short-cycle seeds in Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi. The Food Security and Disaster Risk Reduction project, funded by the European Union (ECHO/DIPECHO) has distributed short-cycle seed varieties with the aim of improving food security in the context of exposure to floods and cyclones. In Madagascar, the X265 and “Mihary” rice varieties mature in 90 days, compared with 120 days for traditional seeds. This means that farmers can produce two crops per year, instead of just one, and the likelihood of crops being destroyed by cyclones just prior to harvest is reduced, thereby ensuring food security in the following season.
