The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), BASF chemical company and the Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a unique approach for controlling Striga in maize. It combines a low dose of a systemic acetolactate synthase–inhibiting herbicide seed coating applied to imidazolinone-resistant (IR) maize seed. The treatment leaves a field virtually clear all season of emerging Striga. This maize allows localized application of high herbicide levels on or near the crop seed, but at 1/10th of the dose that would be applied as spray. On-station and on-farm studies over several seasons in Africa demonstrate that application of 30–45 g ha–1 imazapyr is optimal for seed coating for effective Striga control in various environments. Low-dose herbicide seed dressing on IR maize also controls Striga without affecting sensitive intercrops when they are planted 15 cm or more from maize hills. This allows small-scale farmers to continue intercropping while using maize seed treated to control Striga. This technology increases yield in Striga-infested fields greater than 3-fold at an effective cost of less than USD 4 per hectare. The added cost of this added yield of 1 t ha–1 is equivalent to about 25–50 kg ha–1 maize yield, suggesting potential benefit:cost ratios of > 25:1, even under the least favourable circumstances. This technology coupled with pulling the rare escaped Striga can deplete the Striga seed bank, reducing infestation of susceptible rotation crops and delaying the evolution of resistant Striga populations. It can be used as a stopgap until genetic crop resistance becomes available. This technology can provide African farmers with an affordable, cost-effective control for Striga as well as improve the potential for returns on other inputs such as fertilizers and other pest-control products. CIMMYT breeding activities have produced high-yielding and foliar disease–resistant IR maize inbred lines, hybrids and open-pollinated varieties adapted to Striga-infested areas in Africa. Most of these products were tested extensively last year in eastern, southern and western Africa. In 2003, five hybrids were nominated in Kenya’s national performance trials, from which three were pre-released. One of these hybrids was given to three seed companies to produce 12 tonnes of seed for use in demonstrations with 21,000 farmers in 2005. Partnership plans with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), BASF, seed companies and non-governmental organizations are under way to roll out this IR maize seed-coating technology, initially in Kenya and later in areas where Striga is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa.