NAIROBI, Kenya - An agriculture private concern with beer brewing interests, the Kenya Malting Limited (KML), has developed a disease and drought resistant barley seed variety after a ten-year trial period.

KML general manager Phillip Karri said the variety, code named "Nguzo", had also been formulated to yield high tonnage per hectare and had shown to have superior brewer qualities.

Already, the seed variety has been released to farmers after certification by the Kenya Plant Inspectorate Services (Kephis) and subsequent approval by the agriculture ministry.

The official said that the seed variety had the potential to yield 5.6 tons per hectare against the international set standards of barley of six tons.

He said that the new variety is expected to cater for 20 percent of commercial farming of barely in the country within the next one year.

KML, he disclosed, had now phased out four of its traditional barley seed varieties, as they were uneconomical to both the farmer and the brewer.