An innovative approach to inter-cropping that dually suppresses nuisance weeds and pests. Wanyama Oduori Kenneth – Email: wanyama.kenneth8@gmail.com; Tel: +256774091761); Other members on the team: Mugondi Kapel Jerome
The Need: The yield from maize, a staple food for many communities in Eastern is affected by two main nuisances: a weed commonly known as ‘Striga’ and a weevil known as Maize stock-borer. Both the weed and the weevil are highly prevalent in low lying maize producing areas of Eastern Africa, especially where the soils are fertile. Mechanical methods of fighting the weed are labour intensive while chemical methods of fighting the stock-borer are expensive and are not echo-friendly. Evidence has shown that certain inter-cropping patterns can suppress the nuisance weed, while other inter-cropping patterns can suppress the weevil, even without chemical or manual methods (Push-and-pull systems).
The Innovation: Innovators have piloted a dual strategy for inter-cropping that achieves optimum control of the Striga weed and the Maize borer in a near natural ecosystem (Improved push-and-pull) which has shown excellent results leading to thriving maize gardens.
The Impact: This approach to cropping can be easily extended to larger holdings to increase crop yield without additional expenditure on chemicals and intensive labour. In addition to increasing crop yield and income for rural farmers, the innovation improves livestock productivity and health by providing year-round fodder and protection against food shortages. The RAN-powered pilot in Iganga district of Uganda has already had a positive impact on community farmers. Details here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnbmkRal7Ok
Innovators taking community members around the Improved Pull and Push Garden