The proceedings of the workshop will form the basis of a book on land tenure issues. Back to Headlines Chillis not so hot High rainfall has produced a heavy first crop of chillis in Malawi but the glut is likely to reduce both prices and quality. Chillis produce most pungency and flavour when the season is hot and dry and, since most are sun-dried, the longer than usual rainy season has also hindered drying. Stepping up stemborer and striga control Strategies for controlling stemborer and striga problems in maize crops in Kenya are to be expanded to a regional level to include similar projects in neighbouring countries. Napier grass or Sudan grass, planted around crop perimeters are effective in trapping the insect pests whilst molasses grass or leguminous silver leaf can be intercropped to repel stemborers away from the maize crop.
Silver leaf is also able to effectively suppress striga.
All four plants are of economic importance to East African farmers as livestock fodder and all have performed well in on-farm trials. The project is to run for five years and is to involve a minimum of 300 participating farmers at each of the sites. The office will be responsible for implementing an innovative programme of development in this fascinating and beautiful country. The overall objective of the programme will be to help the Nepal Government and key institutions of civil society better to address the development needs of Nepal. The programme will build on previous work supported by DFID but will develop a new approach with a much longer time horizon.