The livelihoods of smallholder maize farmers in East Africa are set for transformation with the launch of a new project that will upscale the commercialisation of StrigAwayTM – an herbicide-resistant seed and treatment that controls the infestation of Striga – a parasitic weed that often results in total crop loss and even abandonment of arable land
NAIROBI, Kenya, 3 February, 2014: The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) today launched a partnership with Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation through a programme funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation funds off-the-shelf technologies to increase the productivity and competitiveness of smallholder farmers. With this grant, AATF will scale commercialisation of StrigAwayTM – an herbicide-resistant seed and treatment – to improve productivity for maize, one of the most important food crops in East Africa. Funding provided through the award will help AATF and its partners, BASF, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and six local seed companies, promote the technology package in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
“This partnership is really about increasing the food security of thousands of smallholder farmers in East Africa. Farmers who have access to this technology will have better maize yields and higher earnings from the sale of excess produce,” said Denis T. Kyetere, the Executive Director, AATF. READ MORE
Source: African Agricultural Technology Foundation. #IFAMAFRICA
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