Striga infestation causes up to 60% cereal crop losses in Northern Ghana – FONAR 

Mr Sumaila Seidu Saaka, the Executive Director of the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR), who gave the warning, said the parasitic weed posed a serious threat to food production in the region, particularly sorghum, millet, maize and upland rice, which were among the major crops affected.

Mr Saaka said the Striga problem could not be treated in isolation because it was closely linked to declining soil fertility, food insecurity, pressure on natural resources and climate change.

He indicated that FONAR’s approach therefore sought to integrate Striga control with Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), soil fertility improvement and sustainable agroforestry practices to restore degraded farmlands.