Partnership helping the battle against fall army worms

A partnership between the Kenyan government and multinational research organizations has been working to contain the spread of fall army worms.

by Luther Osier

The pests have made a devastating impact to a number of farms and crops.

The project which is fronted by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre ( CiMMYT), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and ICIPE is on trial phase at Kiboko field station in Makueni County and is expected to be concluded by February next year.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CiMMYT) is the spearheading the project. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and ICIPE are on trial phase at Kiboko field station in Makueni County.

The director from the Maize Program at CiMMYT spoke on the Integrated Pest Management system. It is believed that the system will encourage Sub Saharan African farmers to battle the fall army worm. As much as farmers are already working to save their yields, the methods that have been used are toxic and tend to be unsustainable.

“We want farmers to dissociate from application of synthetic toxic pesticides and chemicals. Rather, revert to use of combined approaches like use of resistant varieties, bio pesticides and related biological control methods.” he added.