Maize

Counterfeit seeds threaten African farmers’ crops and climate resilience: Study

In Africa, high-quality seeds can produce improved crops with enhanced nutrition, pest-resistance, and drought tolerance. However, such seeds for maize, vegetables, and cereal crops can be indistinguishable from counterfeit, or “fake” seeds. That’s creating a massive potential for fraud in seed quality that can potentially deprive farmers of access to climate-resilient seeds while putting their […]

Mongabay · 10/8/2026

Floating weeds threaten farming and fishing at Malawi’s Chia Lagoon

A mass of floating weeds at Chia Lagoon, Malawi’s largest, is choking out waterways and livelihoods as farmers and fishers struggle to access fields and fishing areas. Seven months after the rainy season ended in Malawi, fields that once absorbed seasonal water at the lagoon are submerged, frustrating irrigated maize and rice production, according to […]

Mongabay · 9/23/2026

Monkey vs machine: Nepal tests AI to fight crop-raiding macaques

KATHMANDU — At dawn in Birta Deurali village of Kavrepalanchok in central Nepal, maize fields aren’t quiet. Farmers stand guard, scanning the trees for movement, but they aren’t the only ones there. “If you leave even for a short time, the monkeys do considerable damage,” said 46-year-old Sagar Tamang, a resident of Birta Deurali. Villagers […]

Mongabay · 7/13/2026

Running on empty: How the gulf war is threatening Kenya’s food security

Philip Kitur walks through a neat row of maize stalks, with budding leaves painting a picture of a bountiful harvest. The 71-year-old has a 41-acre parcel at Kipkeikei village in Trans-Nzoia County. However, hidden behind Kitur’s smile is the fear of losing a significant yield if he does not access fertilizer. “The crop is due […]

Mongabay · 7/3/2026

How one woman’s farm is a model for small-scale farmers in Malawi

In Malawi’s Chiradzulu district, located in the southern region of the country, Diana Sitima’s farm shows how a combination of agroecology and secure land ownership can create a thriving commercial enterprise. Many neighboring farmers rely primarily on growing and selling maize. But, on her 3.5-hectare (8.6-acre) farm, Sitima combines diverse crops of fruits and vegetables […]

Mongabay · 6/17/2026

Movement gives African rural women farmers a voice, but still battles landownership

CHIRADZULU, Malawi — In Chiradzulu district in southern Malawi, 60 women who are members of the Rural Women’s Assembly grow fruits and vegetables alongside their staple crop, maize. In recent years, there’s been growing demand for their organically produced crops from buyers in the nearby city of Blantyre, Malawi’s commercial capital. The assembly’s chair in […]

Mongabay · 6/9/2026