The Toothpick Project

To transitioning from nonprofit to a hybrid social impact business.

Overview

This project started with the end user in mind. Through the biocontrol of Striga with the FOXY T14 toothpick technology their goals are to reduce labor and increase crop yield for smallholder farmers. Ultimately this technology will improve health through more nutritious diversified crops (impacting both physical and mental wellbeing) increase income by providing enough yield for both family use and sale and provide greater access to education due to this increased income. Because the vast majority of maize farmers are women these results will also impact women's empowerment which will be reflected in a Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (USAID Feed the Future) study that evaluates independence literacy time use domestic violence land ownership and other measures of empowerment.