FARMKENYA INITIATIVE Striga plants in a maize farm at Rongo Migori County on 26/3/2018. [Sammy Omingo, Standard] Kenya has become the first country in the world to commercialise a weed technology, kichawi kill, to combat the Striga weed, alo referred to as kayongo or witchweed. The witchweed is one of the worst threats to food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Striga is a destructive parasitic weed that can cause up to 100% yield loss. It attacks the roots of staple crops such as maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea and upland rice. It affects about 50 million hectares of African croplands, causing $9 billion in crop loss annually. In addition, approximately 40 million farms and 300 million people across sub-Saharan Africa are affected.