From Standard

Kenya Seed Company has released a new maize seed that is resistant to the vicious striga weed. It also guarantees farmers a harvest three times bigger than current levels. The new seed dubbed StrigAway ican survive the destructive and parasitic weed referred to as Kayongo (Luo), Oluyongo (Luhya), Imoto (Teso), and Kiduha (Kiswahili). The firm’s Managing Director Willy Bett said striga weed reduces maize yields leading to food insecurity and poverty, and that traditional control methods are mainly manual, which is inefficient and labour intensive. He said controlling the weed is important to the economy as it leads to higher maize yields and food security and income. “Farmers who plant StrigAway maize can triple their yields and control striga on their farms. StrigAway maize seed is coated with herbicide that kills Striga before it can harm the maize,” Mr Bett said during the release of the seed.

Written by Nanjinia Wamuswa/Read more at Standard