Pesticide risk reduction tackled at behaviour change workshop in Kenya
Pesticide overuse and misuse pose a risk to farmers, consumers, and the environment. Chemical pest control is a major source of pollution, leading to water and soil contamination. Moreover, pesticides can enter the food chain through residues on crops, jeopardising food safety.
Making production standards work for Kenya’s growers
Expanding Kenya’s horticultural produce markets by making production standards work for the country’s producers At the end of March, CABI participated in the GLOBAL G.A.P Tour held in Nairobi. The event sought to strengthen compliance and expand markets for Kenya’s agricultural produce. Convened by Rootooba, the tour raised awareness on updated global food safety standards.
CABI helps Kenyan farmers combat invasive apple snail
In 2019, Kenyan farmers first started reporting instances of the invasive apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) infesting rice paddy nurseries. Thanks to speedy action by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, intervention actions were rolled out across the country. Importantly, these interventions spread awareness of the new invasive pest and…
East Africa’s bean industry adapts to climate change
Climate change is likely to have a severe impact on East Africa’s bean industry. Beans are a vital crop, with over 200 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa depending on them as their most important pulse.
PlantwisePlus training helps Kenya meet KS1758 food safety standard
CABI – through the PlantwisePlus programme and in partnership with the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC Kenya) – has delivered training to help Kenya meet the KS1758 food safety standard for its fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Mass rearing training strengthens papaya mealybug biocontrol programme in Kenya
PlantwisePlus has been working in collaboration with partners in Kenya to implement a classical biological control strategy to manage papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus). The invasive pest has been devastating papaya crops in Kenya. A CABI study in 2019 found it caused an estimated 57% yield losses across five counties.
Consumer food safety perceptions, Kenya
Food safety is essential for food security. It is key to meeting many of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG2 ‘Zero Hunger’, SDG 3 ‘Good health and wellbeing’ and SDG 6 ‘Clean water and sanitation. Safe food is also critical for economic development. Food-borne diseases can keep people from working and prospering and can negatively…
PRISE pest alerts mean farmers and advisors have more time to prepare for pest infestations
This article was originally published on prise.org An estimated 40% of the world’s crops are lost to pests impacting on smallholder farmers’ ability to feed their families, on international trade and food supply chains and hampering the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2. Pest outbreaks are devastating, respect no political boundaries and are…
Why it’s so critical to continuously monitor and manage plant diseases
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Most of us understand the critical importance of monitoring the spread of diseases. And it is as important for plant diseases as it is for humans. Plant disease epidemics are often hidden from view, unlike human viral disease outbreaks. Yet food and forest production systems, as well as native…
Education on safe pesticide use crucial for farmers in rural Kenya
A team from CABI, AMPATH and Corteva recently visited an area in the Rift Valley and discovered alarming evidence that farmers are unaware of the harmful effects of agricultural pesticides. Through indiscriminate use, poor handling, storage and application of pesticides, farmers in the area are harming consumers and themselves.