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The new maize varieties have proved to be high-performance, adaptable and resistant to a range of pests and diseases, and could potentially boost the incomes of players in the sector.

According to the preliminary results of a new impact evaluation designed to measure the adoption of improved maize varieties in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali, the average adoption rate is 88%.

Age, whether maize is the main crop, group membership, the number of agricultural assets in each household and participation in maize production training are some of the variables that determine adoption.

The study currently being discussed and validated at a regional workshop in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, shows that the adoption of new varieties could potentially increase profits by around 35%.

Poverty, the study found, is reduced by almost 9 percent for those adopting new varieties.

CORAF has undertaken an impact assessment as part of the implementation of a series of projects aimed at improving the maize, livestock and cotton sectors in UEMOA member countries.

"Maize is the most widely grown and consumed cereal in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali, and is essential to the food and nutritional security of the population of UEMOA member countries," explains Dr Abdulai Jalloh, CORAF's new Director of Research and Innovation.

Promoting the maize sector through collaborative and innovative research is one of CORAF's main areas of work. For this specific project, CORAF worked jointly with INRAB, INERA, the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique de Côte d'Ivoire and the Institut de l'Economie Rurale du Mali (IER).

A corn improvement project worth around 238,182 USD in Benin, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire was recently approved by CORAF. This project will continue to strengthen the maize sectors in these three countries.