Maize is one of the most important food crops in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for nearly 40% of total cereals production in the continent. Besides human food, maize is also a major source of feed for livestock, especially cattle and poultry. Therefore, shortages of this important commodity are invariably accompanied by strongly negative ripple effects on food and feed markets, which could ignite social unrest as witnessed in several countries in the recent past. Despite the importance of maize in Africa, average yields are low at 1.5 ton/ha which compares poorly to the >8 ton/ha in developed countries. Several factors are responsible for these low yields, and one of the major production constraints is the parasitic plant, Striga, also known as witchweed. This weed can reduce yields by up to 100%, leading to serious food shortages in affected areas. In western Kenya, for example, the weed is estimated to cover >210,000 ha of land under maize and is ranked as the major cause of hunger. Across Africa, Striga is estimated to cover over 2.5 million ha of land that is under maize production, with yield losses nearing two million tonnes with a market value of almost 0.5 Billion USD.

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