We're celebrating 85 years of Seed Co. history with hearts full of pride and thanks for the incredible road we've traveled. Our company has deep roots in Zimbabwe's farming world, growing stronger as our nation faced both hard times and good. The trust placed in us by farmers across the continent has allowed us to expand across borders. From Zimbabwe to 16 other African nations, our reach keeps growing because farmers trust our seeds.
Research drives everything we do at Seed Co, helping us create better seeds year after year for farmers big and small. Today, you'll find our products helping grow crops across 35 African countries. From Angola to South Africa, from Kenya to Ghana, farmers plant our seeds with confidence. This widespread success comes from sticking to what matters most—putting farmers first, valuing our team members, sharing knowledge, working together, delivering quality, and never stopping our learning.
The story began when Zimbabwe was called Rhodesia, and the Rhodesia Seed Maize Association was formed in 1940. Forty years later, when independence came, the name changed to the Zimbabwe Seed Maize Association. These organizations focused on multiplying and marketing certified seed varieties developed by government scientists. A breakthrough came in 1952 when they produced SR52, the world's first commercial single-cross hybrid corn.
SR52 performed amazingly well on large farms, which caught the attention of small-scale farmers working on land with longer rainy seasons. Government plant breeders quickly recognized they needed different corn types for small farmers living mostly on marginal lands. Their answer came through creating three-way hybrids that matured earlier—R200, R201, and R215. This dual focus on helping both large commercial operations and small family farms remains central to our mission today.
Serious breeding work started at Rattray Arnold Research Station in 1974, a facility that earned worldwide respect among agricultural scientists. This research created successful corn hybrids like SC501, SC401, SC601, and SC701. We began naming our corn varieties after animals, creating emotional connections with farmers. These animal symbols help customers easily recognize our products and understand their characteristics without confusion.
The modern Seed Co emerged in 1982 when ZSMA merged with the Zimbabwe Crop Seeds Association. Research expanded dramatically beyond Zimbabwe into regional efforts across Africa. We established additional research stations throughout Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Kenya. Our scientists understood the importance of developing seeds under conditions matching those where farmers would plant them.
Our breeding programs have created an impressive 226 crop varieties through decades of patient work. Just our corn program alone has released 124 different hybrids. These range from ultra-early varieties that mature quickly to late-season types that maximize yields where conditions allow. Our breeders achieved several firsts, including creating the earliest-maturing corn class ever developed, breeding resistance to multiple serious diseases, and developing extraordinarily high-yielding late-season varieties.
Beyond corn, our soybean program has released 45 excellent varieties across Africa. Plant scientists worldwide recognize our leadership in developing natural resistance against devastating soybean rust disease. Our wheat breeding program has created 25 distinct varieties and became the first African program to produce spring wheat, yielding 10 tons under irrigation. This achievement helped push Zimbabwe and Zambia's national wheat yields to 6.5 tons per hectare, ranking second globally behind only Argentina.
We've diversified beyond these major crops by developing seven sorghum varieties for food and brewing, three groundnut types, eleven bean varieties, two sunflower options, three pearl millet choices, and six African pea varieties. Each represents years of careful selection and testing. As we celebrate this milestone birthday, we renew our commitment to Zimbabwe's farmers—promising better seeds, continued research, and stronger partnerships with everyone growing food for our nation.
Thanks go out to all our farmers, employees, partners, and every person involved with agriculture who trusted us through eight and a half decades. Looking ahead excites us as we plan to strengthen our role across African farming communities. Our research investments will continue creating better seeds with higher yields and innovative solutions to farmer challenges. We appreciate everyone's support over the years and look forward to working together to build brighter futures for agriculture.
Quality seeds combined with sustainable farming practices can transform African agriculture for generations. We stand ready as partners from planting time through the harvest season. Seed Co represents more than just a business—we're dedicated allies focused on innovation, quality, and support, ensuring farmers' success. Our ultimate goal remains to feed our nations and build food security across Africa.
Cheers to 85 years of growth together! Thank you for being part of our continuing story.
Research drives everything we do at Seed Co, helping us create better seeds year after year for farmers big and small. Today, you'll find our products helping grow crops across 35 African countries. From Angola to South Africa, from Kenya to Ghana, farmers plant our seeds with confidence. This widespread success comes from sticking to what matters most—putting farmers first, valuing our team members, sharing knowledge, working together, delivering quality, and never stopping our learning.
The story began when Zimbabwe was called Rhodesia, and the Rhodesia Seed Maize Association was formed in 1940. Forty years later, when independence came, the name changed to the Zimbabwe Seed Maize Association. These organizations focused on multiplying and marketing certified seed varieties developed by government scientists. A breakthrough came in 1952 when they produced SR52, the world's first commercial single-cross hybrid corn.
SR52 performed amazingly well on large farms, which caught the attention of small-scale farmers working on land with longer rainy seasons. Government plant breeders quickly recognized they needed different corn types for small farmers living mostly on marginal lands. Their answer came through creating three-way hybrids that matured earlier—R200, R201, and R215. This dual focus on helping both large commercial operations and small family farms remains central to our mission today.
Serious breeding work started at Rattray Arnold Research Station in 1974, a facility that earned worldwide respect among agricultural scientists. This research created successful corn hybrids like SC501, SC401, SC601, and SC701. We began naming our corn varieties after animals, creating emotional connections with farmers. These animal symbols help customers easily recognize our products and understand their characteristics without confusion.
The modern Seed Co emerged in 1982 when ZSMA merged with the Zimbabwe Crop Seeds Association. Research expanded dramatically beyond Zimbabwe into regional efforts across Africa. We established additional research stations throughout Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Kenya. Our scientists understood the importance of developing seeds under conditions matching those where farmers would plant them.
Our breeding programs have created an impressive 226 crop varieties through decades of patient work. Just our corn program alone has released 124 different hybrids. These range from ultra-early varieties that mature quickly to late-season types that maximize yields where conditions allow. Our breeders achieved several firsts, including creating the earliest-maturing corn class ever developed, breeding resistance to multiple serious diseases, and developing extraordinarily high-yielding late-season varieties.
Beyond corn, our soybean program has released 45 excellent varieties across Africa. Plant scientists worldwide recognize our leadership in developing natural resistance against devastating soybean rust disease. Our wheat breeding program has created 25 distinct varieties and became the first African program to produce spring wheat, yielding 10 tons under irrigation. This achievement helped push Zimbabwe and Zambia's national wheat yields to 6.5 tons per hectare, ranking second globally behind only Argentina.
We've diversified beyond these major crops by developing seven sorghum varieties for food and brewing, three groundnut types, eleven bean varieties, two sunflower options, three pearl millet choices, and six African pea varieties. Each represents years of careful selection and testing. As we celebrate this milestone birthday, we renew our commitment to Zimbabwe's farmers—promising better seeds, continued research, and stronger partnerships with everyone growing food for our nation.
Thanks go out to all our farmers, employees, partners, and every person involved with agriculture who trusted us through eight and a half decades. Looking ahead excites us as we plan to strengthen our role across African farming communities. Our research investments will continue creating better seeds with higher yields and innovative solutions to farmer challenges. We appreciate everyone's support over the years and look forward to working together to build brighter futures for agriculture.
Quality seeds combined with sustainable farming practices can transform African agriculture for generations. We stand ready as partners from planting time through the harvest season. Seed Co represents more than just a business—we're dedicated allies focused on innovation, quality, and support, ensuring farmers' success. Our ultimate goal remains to feed our nations and build food security across Africa.
Cheers to 85 years of growth together! Thank you for being part of our continuing story.
