Catherine Wanjala, a small-scale farmer in western Kenya, struggled with failing maize crops due to a parasitic plant called witchweed.
This weed, also known as striga, stunted her crops by sapping essential water and nutrients from them.
The impact of witchweed left Wanjala’s maize growth stagnant, affecting her family’s food supply and her children’s schooling.
Recently, she began using a new bioherbicide called Kichawi Kill to protect her crops without harming the surrounding environment.
Kichawi Kill, a product of the social enterprise Toothpick, uses a naturally occurring fungus to target witchweed specifically.
Launched commercially in Kenya last June, the bioherbicide increased Wanjala’s maize yield by 675% in a single season.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting trials of Kichawi Kill to expand its use, hoping it can help restore up to 1.4 million hectares across sub-Saharan Africa.
Since using the bioherbicide, Wanjala’s family is now food-secure, and her children are back in school.
Kichawi Kill is showing promise as an eco-friendly, cost-effective solution that yields a five to 10-fold return, helping farmers grow sustainably without environmental damage.
