Huge losses as deadly maize disease continues to wreak havoc on farms

The country is staring at massive losses as the spread of the Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLN) continues to wreak havoc in various parts of the county.

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) warns that the disease, first reported in Kenya in September 2011, in Bomet County, is creating misery in the farming community in the country. Stakeholders worry that if no tough measures are employed, the disease is likely to cause more losses worth billions of shillings to the value chain players.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Sicily Kariuki warned that latest findings indicate that if the disease goes unchecked, it could spread to more countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Already, we know that it is devastating maize crops in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo, South Sudan and Ethiopia,” said Ms Kariuki.

Last year, farmers lost maize worth Sh10.3 billion ($110 million) even as the Government assured farmers that tolerant varieties as well as other programmes have been put in place to tame the viral disease.

Last week, during an International Conference on Maize Lethal Necrosis Diagnosis and Management in Nairobi, stakeholders called for efforts to tame the disease.

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation acting Director General Dr Eliud Kireger said recently a few MLN-tolerant maize varieties have been released in East Africa, and several more are in the pipeline. But, the challenge is that they are yet to find out and understand how the disease found its way into Kenya and how it spread rapidly to almost all maize growing areas within a short period.

Annual production

Agra President Agnes Kalibata said the findings from earlier studies carried out in the country showed that losses have increased to 300,000 tonnes, representing 23 per cent of the average annual production,  valued at Sh10.5 billion ($110 million).

“Western Kenya is hardest hit region followed by Central and Eastern region,” said Dr Kalibata. “Yield losses were low in the drylands. The rapid spread of the MLN disease is a major concern for governments, scientists, regulators, maize seed companies and global value chain players.”

AGRA’s Head of the Regional Team for East and Southern Africa Dr George Bigirwa said the spread of the disease is continuing owing to the sale of fake seeds in the market. “Sale of fake seeds to farmers is a huge business and if not tamed, is likely to disrupt efforts to arrest the disease. Farmers have been replanting seeds from previous harvests which might make it hard to eliminate the disease,” said Bigirwa.

The Seed Trade Association of Kenya Secretary Kassim Owino claimed that briefcase seed companies control between 10 and 20 per cent of the total seed market. The seeds industry’s annual turnover stands at more than Sh5.1 billion out of which 20 per cent is done by fake seeds dealers. According to the Economic Survey 2015, maize production in the country declined by 4.2 per cent to 39 million bags in 2014.