Cholwe, officially known as ZSV 108, is a newly developed sorghum variety in Zambia that exemplifies the power of participatory plant breeding (PPB). Developed through a collaborative process led by the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute in partnership with farmers, this variety reflects a deliberate effort to align scientific breeding with farmer preferences, local knowledge, and agroecological realities.
The development of ZSV 108 began in 2019 under a PPB initiative aimed at bridging the gap between farmer needs and formal breeding systems. Farmers actively participated in selecting desirable traits and even engaged in the crossing process at Farmer Field Schools. The objective was to combine the best attributes of existing varieties, particularly Kuyuma and Sima, into a single improved variety. Farmers prioritized traits such as white grain colour, good taste, early maturity, short plant height, drought tolerance, and large grain size. Through selection and breeding, ZSV 108 emerged as one of the leading candidate varieties.
Cholwe possesses several desirable agronomic and utilization characteristics. It is a short, white-grained variety with a yield potential of approximately 5 to 6 tonnes per hectare. The variety is dual-purpose, suitable for both grain and forage production, making it valuable for integrated crop-livestock systems. It is moderately resistant to major sorghum diseases and performs well under dry conditions, reflecting its resilience to climate variability. In terms of use, Cholwe is highly versatile, its grain is excellent for preparing nshima and malt, while its biomass is suitable for silage production. It also has a high flour recovery rate, making it attractive for both household consumption and commercial processing.
The name “Cholwe,” meaning “lucky” or “blessed,” symbolizes the variety’s reliability and ability to perform under challenging conditions. This naming reflects the strong connection between farmers and the variety, as well as the socio-cultural dimensions embedded in PPB processes.
Importantly, ZSV 108 has demonstrated broad adaptability across different agro-ecological zones, performing consistently in multi-location trials. This stability makes it a strong candidate for national release and scaling among smallholder farmers.
Cholwe (ZSV 108) is more than just a sorghum variety, it is a product of inclusive innovation. By placing farmers at the center of the breeding process, it contributes to strengthening farmer managed seed systems, enhancing food security, and promoting resilient agroecological farming systems in Zambia.
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