Poor farmers in 30 villages in Tanzania have increased their demand for Striga-tolerant maize varieties, as well as green manure and improved maize seed that is distributed in small, affordable packs. The reason: they’ve seen how well they work. Previously, Striga, a parasitic weed, and the stemborer insect pest took a terrible toll on these farmers’ maize crops. Now, improved understanding of cropping strategies, on-farm evaluation of selected technologies, improved access to inputs and stronger partnerships are giving them new hope. Soil fertility has also increased using simple farming practices, such as rotation and rainwater harvesting to increase soil moisture.