Where Once There was Grain to Burn: A Farming System in Crisis in Eastern Malawi

The parasitic weed Striga asiatica is a serious problem in maize crops in southern Malawi and much of the rest of southern Africa. The authors spent two years studying farmer knowledge of the weed in an area of south-eastern Malawi, and the links between population pressure, soil fertility and Striga incidence. Following a discussion of the history of the study village, the results of a series of field trials are presented which test the effect of altered fertilizer applications on yields of maize plants in Striga infested areas. These show that simply changing the timing of fertilizer application, using the rates farmers currently use, could have a dramatic effect on the maize plant's ability to cope with the weed and on the economics of maize production.