Integrated Pest Management is the solution to mango-infesting flies in Kenya

Mango is an important food and cash crop as it plays an important role in rural and urban socio-economic development in Kenya and Africa as a whole. Although the volume of mango produced has increased over the years, from below 250,000 metric tons in 2003 to over 750,000 metric tons in 2012 according to USAID-KHCP report in 2015, the productivity of mango in Kenya is still below its potential which is estimated at 2.8 million metric tons.

This has been attributed to high postharvest losses. Other major constraints hindering productivity are insect pest infestation particularly; tephritid fruit flies as well as diseases such as anthracnose and powdery mildew. According to Dr. Sunday Ekesi and Dr. Rwomushana Ivan from icipe, fruit flies cause direct damage by reducing mango productivity and quality, thus reducing the market value of the mangoes, and subsequently lowering revenues to farmers. In addition, quarantine restrictions on fruit fly-infested produce limit exports to lucrative markets abroad.