Sustainable solutions to the problems of yield loses to cereal crops caused by stemborers and striga weeds; and to the problem of declining soil fertility are best provided by the single 'Push-Pull' platform technology. Push-Pull simultaneously improves cereal productivity; enables production of year-round quality fodder from desmodium and Napier grass thereby allowing for integration with livestock husbandry; diversifies income streams and enables smallholders to enter into the cash economy; improves soil fertility and enables a minimum tillage system.

'Pull'

The grasses are planted in the border around the maize and sorghum fields where invading adult moths become attracted to chemicals emitted by the grasses themselves. Instead of landing on the maize or sorghum plants, the insects head for what appears to be a tastier meal. These grasses provide the "pull" in the "Push-Pull" strategy. They also serve as a haven for the borers' natural enemies. Good trap crops include well-known grasses such as Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) . Napier grass has a particularly clever way of defending itself against the pest onslaught: once attacked by a borer larva, it secrets sticky substance that physically traps the pest and effectively limits its damage. The natural enemies lurking among the grasses go into action and dispatch the borers in both maize or sorghum and grass hosts plants.

'Push'

The "push" in the intercropping scheme is provided by the plants that emit chemicals (kairomones) which repel stemborer moths and drive them away from the main crop (maize or sorghum). The best candidates discovered so far with the repellent properties are members of leguminous genus Desmodium spp. Desmodium is planted in between the rows of maize or sorghum. Being a low-growing plant it does not interfere with the crops' growth and, furthermore, has the advantage of maintaining soil stability, improving soil fertility through enhanced soil organic matter content and nitrogen-fixation. It also serves as a highly nutritious animal feed and effectively suppresses striga weeds. Another plant showing good repellent properties is molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora), a nutritious animal feed with tick-repelling and stemborer larval parasitoid attractive properties.