In recent years, the pressing challenges of food security and environmental sustainability have driven a surge of interest in innovative agricultural technologies that harmonize crop productivity with ecological balance. Among these, the push-pull technology has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering promising avenues for sustainable intensification in sub-Saharan Africa. This agroecological approach, designed to tackle pest pressures and improve soil health, is not only gaining traction as a pest management tool but also as a vital component of climate-resilient farming systems in the region.
Push-pull technology is fundamentally an intercropping system that manipulates insect behavior through strategic planting of companion crops. It is characterized by the use of “push” plants that repel target pests away from the main crop and “pull” plants that attract pests, serving as trap crops. Originally developed to manage stemborer pests and striga weeds in cereal production, this approach leverages ecological interactions to reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides, thereby mitigating environmental contamination and enhancing farmer safety.
The core of push-pull technology lies in its ability to disrupt the pest lifecycle and improve yield outcomes by creating a more complex and resilient agroecosystem. By interspersing cereals like maize and sorghum with repellent plants such as Desmodium, farmers can “push” pests away from main crops. Meanwhile, border crops like Napier grass serve as “pull” plants, luring pests towards themselves where they fail to complete their development. This dual action significantly lowers pest populations and guards crops against damage which, without intervention, could decimate yields.
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Beyond pest control, the technology addresses the pervasive issue of the parasitic weed striga, commonly known as witchweed, which devastates cereal production across many parts of Africa. Desmodium, the repellent intercrop, releases allelopathic chemicals into the soil that inhibit striga seed germination and growth. This effect not only suppresses a major biotic stressor but also improves soil nitrogen content through symbiotic fixation, positively impacting soil fertility and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
The ecological benefits of push-pull extend deeper, illustrating how agroecological principles can be leveraged for climate-smart agriculture. By enhancing biodiversity in the fields, push-pull systems promote natural enemy populations, such as parasitoids and predatory insects, which further suppress pest outbreaks. This biodiversity enrichment fosters an agroecosystem that is more resilient to climate variability and extreme weather events, contributing to the stability of farmers’ livelihoods in vulnerable regions.
Crucial to the success of push-pull technology is its adaptability to smallholder settings prevalent in Africa. Unlike chemical inputs which require capital investment and continuous supply chains, push-pull can be established with locally available seeds and agronomic knowledge, making it accessible and sustainable for resource-poor farmers. This grassroots compatibility has facilitated widespread adoption in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and other East African nations, where pilot studies have demonstrated substantial yield increases, improved food security, and economic benefits.
However, scientific inquiry now turns towards scaling the technology across wider agroecological zones in Africa. The diversity of climatic and edaphic conditions presents challenges and opportunities to optimize push-pull for varying environments. Researchers are exploring alternative companion crop species that can adapt to drier or more humid climates, as well as integrating push-pull with other sustainable farming practices such as conservation agriculture and agroforestry to maximize synergistic effects.
Moreover, recent technological advances have opened up pathways to deepen the understanding of the mechanisms underpinning push-pull’s efficacy. Metabolomic and genomic analyses of companion plants are shedding light on the specific chemical volatiles responsible for pest repellence and attraction. Insights from these studies may pave the way for enhanced plant breeding strategies to develop improved varieties that produce stronger bioactive compounds, enhancing the system’s effectiveness under diverse pest pressures.
Equally important is the social dimension of pushing push-pull to scale. Extension services, farmer cooperatives, and participatory research have played pivotal roles in knowledge dissemination and farmer empowerment. Gender-inclusive approaches acknowledge that women play critical roles in agricultural management and are central agents in driving sustainable intensification. Building capacity and fostering innovation hubs ensures that push-pull does not become an isolated technological fix but a component of integrated rural development.
The environmental benefits also extend to carbon sequestration and soil conservation. The perennial companion plants used in push-pull systems, such as Napier grass, build above- and belowground biomass that contributes to organic matter accumulation and soil structure improvement. This process reduces soil erosion and enhances the carbon sink potential of agricultural landscapes, aligning with global efforts to mitigate climate change through land use practices.
Despite these successes, challenges remain in widespread adoption. Constraints include seed availability of companion crops, initial labor inputs for establishing intercrops, and occasional variability in farmer uptake due to socioeconomic factors. Addressing these bottlenecks requires policy support, investment in supply chains for quality seeds, and tailored training programs that consider local context and farmer preferences.
In parallel, the ongoing evolution of agricultural policy frameworks is increasingly recognizing agroecology, including push-pull technology, as a strategic component in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By fostering food security, promoting sustainable land management, and enhancing resilience, push-pull embodies the multidimensional objectives of sustainable development in agricultural systems.
Innovative research collaborations and public-private partnerships are further positioned to accelerate the transition from pilot demonstrations to mainstream adoption. Integrating push-pull into national extension curricula and embedding it within farmer support schemes will enable its benefits to reach millions more households facing chronic poverty and environmental degradation.
The future of push-pull technology rests on a dynamic research agenda that balances ecological understanding with socioeconomic realities. By pushing boundaries in both science and policy, the technology can serve as a cornerstone for agroecological intensification that aligns productivity goals with conservation imperatives, ultimately fostering a sustainable agricultural renaissance across Africa’s diverse landscapes.
In conclusion, push-pull technology stands at the nexus of innovation, tradition, and sustainability. Its expansion across Africa holds the promise of transforming food production systems by embedding ecological principles into practice, reducing dependence on harmful agrochemicals, and improving the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. As challenges such as climate change and population growth escalate, such nature-based solutions offer a potent pathway forward—one rooted in the intimate connection between plants, pests, and people.
Subject of Research: Opportunities for expansion of push-pull technology as an agroecological and sustainable intensification approach in Africa.
Article Title: Opportunities for expansion of push-pull technology as an agroecological and sustainable intensification approach in Africa.
Article References:
Sileshi, G.W., Kuyah, S., Schuman, M.C. et al. Opportunities for expansion of push-pull technology as an agroecological and sustainable intensification approach in Africa. npj Sustain. Agric. 3, 30 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00069-x
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