{
  "id": 10639714,
  "title": "Striga weed invades northern farms • Thousands of acres of maize, millet and sorghum under attack",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/striga-weed-invades-northern-farms-thousands-of-acres-of-maize-millet",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T07:43:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/striga-weed-invades-northern-farms-thousands-of-acres-of-maize-millet-and-sorghum-under-attack/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Farmers in northern Ghana are grappling with a devastating infestation of Striga weed, commonly known as “witchweed,” which is attacking thousands of acres of maize, millet, and sorghum farms in the Upper East and Upper West regions. Striga weed is a parasitic weed that attaches itself to the roots of crops, hindering their growth. In some cases, farmers have been forced to abandon traditional crops such as Early Millet due to the severity of the infestation. Experts warn that unless immediate action is taken, Striga weed could destroy more than 80% of cereal yields, threatening food security in the region. A farmer from Gambibigo in the Bolgatanga East District, Bright Abentara, expressed concern over the worsening situation, attributing the problem to declining soil fertility and widespread land degradation. He emphasized the urgent need for government intervention and support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), non-governmental organizations, and development partners to combat the menace. Sumaila Saaka, the Executive Director of the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR), described Striga weed as a \"silent driver of hunger\" in northern Ghana and called for urgent action to prevent further devastation of farmland and crops.",
  "summary": "Farmers in the Upper East and Upper West regions are battling a devastating infestation of Striga weed, with thousands of acres of cereal farms coming under attack in the two regions, some farmers in the Upper East have revealed. Striga weed, commonly known as “witchweed”, is a parasitic weed that attacks the roots of crops, … The post Striga weed invades northern farms • Thousands of acres of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}