Promoting Root Microbes for Integrated Striga Eradication

The long-term goal of the programme is to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, by increasing the productivity of sorghum: a key cereal crop for food & feed. By using an ecosystems’ approach, the aim is to explore the full potential of beneficial soil microbes to protect sorghum against the parasitic weed Striga.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, many farmers have limited access to resources for protecting plants against diseases and securing crop yields for food and feed. While natural resources and fertile soils are becoming scarcer every day, feeding a growing global population will require novel and more sustainable strategies to increase agricultural production!

Nature has provided trillions of potential partners that can help to enhance food production with fewer resources. These partners are microbes. Without microbes there would be no plants or animals, as all life depends on them to provide many essential ecosystem services. How exactly can microbes help? Read more here (source: American Academy of Microbiology).

Starting in autumn 2023, the next phase of PROMISE (PROMISE II) will bring on board more partners and will be active in three African countries: Ethiopia, Senegal and Tanzania.