Summary of STEP’s 2008 Long Rains Activities
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STEP inputs package that the project distributes through farmer associations in Western Kenya. |
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NGO staff explain to farmers various approaches to controlling striga. Emphasis is on integrated approaches |
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The Striga Technology Extension Project (STEP) is an on-farm promotion activity supported by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation. The project operates in west Kenya and focuses upon recently-developed approaches to Striga management, specifically herbicide-resistant maize and legume suppression. It is a one-year project that has one major thrust, to introduce Striga management technologies to 50,000 farms, or about 28% of the affected households in west Kenya. These actions take place during 2008 over two cropping seasons and include several related support activities such as the development and distribution of information materials about Striga and its reduction, providing training in Striga management to key rural stakeholders and fostering local expertise in Striga monitoring and evaluation among national scientists. Ultimately, our goal is to develop an innovative, multifaceted approach to overcoming Striga that can be expanded within Kenya and replicated elsewhere.
Striga is more than just another problem weed in farmer’s fields because this parasitic plantinjures several cereal crops and grasses. The parasite has a complex lifecycle that damages hosts through the removal of plant nutrients and metabolites, but also by the injection of phytotoxins that result in stunted, twisted growth. Its minute, fast maturing and long-lived seed are readily disseminated and thoroughly colonize of infested soils. New technologies are now proven to control and reduce Striga, including imazapyr resistant maize, abortive germination and legume suppression. When these opportunities are combined with traditional practices and rigorous field sanitation, the parasite can for the first time be overcome in affected fields. STEP has organized information campaigns on Striga that include the distribution of extension manuals, and posters, and the production and broadcast of a video documentary. Moreover, STEP has assembled and distributed farm input packages that embody integrated Striga control technologies so that farmers gain direst experience in Striga management. This familiarity counters the long-standing, near-fatalistic attitude many households held toward Striga as an untreatable affliction. Farmers are provided with a variety of flexible control option that allows them to innovate and adjust their Striga management to local conditions.
The long rains extend from March through July and represent the major growing season in west Kenya. STEP organized an ambitious set of early activities that included project development and approval (January), detailed project planning and farm input acquisition and repackaging (February), technology package distribution and on-farm installation (March) and a survey of participating farmers and early assessment of crop performance (April). Two types of Striga management packages were assembled and distributed, the Striga Technology Extension Package (STEP) and the Farmer Investment in Striga Technologies package (FIST). STEP is intended to familiarize farmers with imazapyr-resistant maize by establishing the package on 100 m2 of severely infested maize cropland, and was distributed free-of-charge. FIST is intended for application to 1000 m2 (1/4 acre) and was extended on credit to farmers through their participating farmer association. Prior to the 2008 long-rains, 23,600 STEP packages were distributed throughout northern Nyanza and Western Provinces by 10 partner organizations. In addition, 800 FIST packages were distributed through five farmer organizations. These project partners are described in fuller detail later in this report. In total, inputs were provided to 24,400 farmers, slightly more than 2% below our projected target. This shortcoming was attributable to unexplained withdrawal of two project partners and logistical difficulties resulting from Kenya’s widespread post-election violence.
Project partners also installed 42 roadside demonstrations and conducted fifteen farmer field days that were attended by at least 5278 members of the public. In addition, the project conducted a three-day training workshop on Striga management that was attended by 66 participants drawn from affected farmers (33%), farmer association officers (9%), farm input suppliers (27%), NGO representatives (12%), extension officers (8%), research institutes (8%) and universities (3%). The workshop setting was informal and included 15 presentations, 10 discussion sessions and a Striga field practice in nearby farmers’ fields. The farm input suppliers attending the workshop formalized a network committed to more effective marketing of Striga management products. The workshop concluded with a project business meeting and planning for the upcoming short rains.
All of these STEP activities during the 2008 long rains in west Kenya required US $177,963. Overall, the project was able to deliver technology packages and extension services to 24,400 farm households for $5.63 per household, install 42 roadside demonstrations for $54 each and conduct 15 farmer field days for $0.57 per participant. The farm inputs distributed through the project were sufficient for planting 298 ha of Striga-infested smallholder cropland and resulted in an estimated production of 756 tons of additional maize worth $234,346. The project will continue its activities in west Kenya during the next short rains.
For more inofrmation, contact Canon Savala of FORMAT, P.O. Box 79, The Village Market, Nairobi. Telephone 254-733-972722. Email: format@wananchi.com