Over 40,000 farmers set to benefit from integrated pest management

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) is promoting integrated pest management to enhance food security and safety in the country.

The project targets to benefit more than 40,000 farmers in Homa Bay, Nandi, Migori, Bungoma and Kakamega counties.

The research agency estimates that farmers in the five counties lose at least 30 per cent of their produce to pests before harvesting every season.

Kalro in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and respective county governments, is undertaking the programme to reduce the cost of food production and improve food security.

The project involves training of experts who undertake plant health management.

The experts teach farmers in villages how to do integrated pest management and disease control.

The Director in charge of Partnerships and Business Development at Kalro, Margaret Makelo; FAO’s Boost Project Co-ordinator, Jimmy Mweri; and Homa Bay County Agriculture Director, Erick Adel, launched implementation of the project at Kendu Show Ground in Homa Bay County.

Makelo said the knowledge on the integrated pest management will enable farmers to control pests effectively in their farms.

She assured that the application of various methods of pest control enhances efficacy in eradicating the pests. Some pests are controlled using chemicals; others are controlled using biological methods alongside other means.

“Not all pests can be controlled with chemicals. By application of various methods, including early planting and others, farmers improve crop yield,” Makelo said.

She revealed that the project will also lower the cost of crop production for farmers.

“The services which our experts are going to offer will cushion farmers from the high cost of production. The services will also cushion them from loss of crops orchestrated by pests,” Makelo said.

She urged the trainees to serve farmers well for the project to achieve the intended objectives.

Mweri said the project will bridge the gap between the demand for food and its supply.

“This project involves a holistic approach that will ensure farmers get what they should get from their farms,” he said.

The project is expected to enhance food safety and food security in the target counties.

“Farmers are also taught how to grow food safely by reducing the use of chemicals,” he said.

Mweri said the project will address climate change adversity by providing farmers with the knowledge on climate-friendly farming practices.

Homa Bay County Director of Agriculture Erick Adel said the project will address the shortage of agricultural field extension officer services in his county.

He noted that the current ratio of agricultural field extension officers to farmers in his county is 1:4000.

“We have a serious shortage of agricultural extension officers in our county due to limitation of resources. This project will reduce the shortage,” Adel said.