“I believe that the Biological Weed Control technology has opened opportunities for me that would otherwise be unavailable,” remarks Suzyo Mwale excitedly.
At 39, Suzyo, a smallholder farmer of Manjakazi Agriculture Camp in Chipata District of Eastern Province, has transformed his agricultural practices through the consistent application of the ‘Biological Weed Control’ technology – one of the four (4) Sustainable Intensification Practices (SIPs) promoted by the SIFAZ project, in five provinces and 27 districts of Zambia.
As the name suggests, ‘Biological Weed Control’ is a technology which involves the introduction of natural enemies (in this case, the shade), that helps in reducing the density of weeds to levels where the weed has little to no negative impact on the growth of the crop.
Under the European Union-funded SIFAZ project, Biological Weed Control in Maize Farming Systems generally employs intercropping of cereals [usually maize], with legume cover crops that include cowpeas, soybeans or velvet beans.
These cover crops create a shade under maize, creating a canopy making it difficult for weeds to thrive and compete for nutrients, moisture, space and sunlight with the crop.
As a result, the farmer not only reduces the labour costs associated with weeding, but also minimises herbicide usage. Further, the farmer benefits from having to harvest two (2) crops on one (1) field.
Before Suzyo was introduced to the technology by his lead farmer Janet Sakala, he struggled with weed pressure and grew only one (1) crop, a move which negatively impacted his yields and incomes.
After learning that cowpeas could be intercropped with maize to reduce weed pressure, things took a turn for the better.
Today, Suzyo can manage weeds more effectively, has reduced the need for herbicides and most importantly, improved soil health.
This combination of weed suppression and improved soil health has significantly improved Suzyo’s yields, allowing him to earn K50,000 in the 2023 – 2024 farming season, despite the severe drought that the country experienced. 
Subsequently, during the 2024-2025 farming season, Suzyo was able to use part of his earnings to procure inputs on time – he didn’t have to wait for the project to support him with farming inputs.
Further, he has expanded his farmland to cover three (3) hectares, where he expects a yield of between 450 and 500 by 50 Kg bags of maize, and over 100 x 50 Kg bags of cowpeas.
“I used to spend close to K5,000 on labour and herbicides to suppress weeds every season but now spend only K1,000, owing to the consistent use of Biological Weed Control technology. When applied effectively, the maize–cowpea intercrop allows a farmer to weed only once and usually at the early stages of land preparation. This reduces the costs of labour and herbicides, and as such gives farmers time to attend to other equally important issues,” he explained.
Suzyo’s business has been so successful that he was able to buy cattle and an ox-cart for his farming business, and further grew from living in a grass-thatched house first, to a two (2) roomed iron-roofed house, and eventually a three (3) bedroomed modern house, that’s equipped with a solar lighting system. His two (2) children are also attending primary school.
He now looks forward to a good harvest this season, and plans to expand to commodity aggregation for better marketing and returns.
“The growth of my business is inspiring to many to the extent that my wife and I are regarded in high esteem amongst community members,” Suzyo said.
Suzyo Mwale recognises that his life would not have been better had he not crossed paths with the European Union-funded SIFAZ Project, implemented by FAO in close collaboration with CIMMYT and the Ministry of Agriculture.
