Fostering food security in smallholder farms in Striga weed hotspots of Kenya

Every year, Striga damage to crops accounts for more than US$ 1 billion in yield loss in SSA, and affects the welfare and livelihoods of over 100 million people. In SSA, the weed infests some 20 million ha, while in Kenya alone, it is estimated that over 200,000 ha of land are infested with Striga causing crop losses amounting to nearly 400,000 tons worth US$ 80 million per year. In the last one year, AATF has facilitated agro-dealer access to IR maize seed through Seed Credit system to prime demand. We have registered 98% repayment by the agro-dealers, who then are gradually weaned off as they become endowed with resources to acquire seeds on their own. The payoff of this system has been tremendous, with some 25 tons of certified IR maize being sold to farmers since September 2010 – November 2011. This directly impacts the lives of at least 12,000 farm household members. Grain yields have been increased from an average of 0.5 kg/ha to at least a 1 ton and some farms going up to 1.5 tonnes/ha.. – Click here for full article

IR Maize - the knight in shining armour

In 2010 Mebo got some information about a new maize seed variety which could kill Striga and hence increase maize yields. She did not give it a second thought owing to the fact that she had suffered enough to the extent of drawing money from her clothes business to make up for food expenditure. So she decided to give it a trial by planting a one kilo of IR OPV 303 maize variety which had been treated with the chemical that kills Striga. To her astonishment she reaped 1.5 bags from a 0.1 acre plot where under normal circumstances she could have only obtained a maximum of 10 gorogoros (2-kg containers). This was a major boost to her food security and also it saved her business which was running low on capital due to frequent withdrawals. Since then Mebo has been planting the IR maize and she cannot hide her joy. Her small piece of land is now nearly free from Striga weed as compared to the neighbouring farms which are heavily infested. – Click here for full article

Double blessing for IR maize farmer

Ms Catherine Otiende never believed at any given day she would produce enough food from her ¾ acre farm to feed her family and by extension the extended family. The young mother of four children who hails from Dago village, Nyahera Location of Kisumu District had been planting the local maize varieties for many years with meager returns of less than 2 bags of maize from her farm thanks to the Striga weed popularly known as uyongo in the local dialect. Catherine got information from Mr. William Bodo about some improved maize varieties which could kill the Striga weed and hence increase maize production to a great extent. She received this information with a lot of enthusiasm and decided to give it a trial. Catherine did not have any problem convincing her husband on adoption of this new technology. She decided to try it during the 2011 short rain season and as she says she will never regret her decision. She prepared her land early enough and bought 5 kg of IR OPV 303 seed variety. She got a double blessing when the short rains became more than expected. – Click here for full article