Brief news on farming and agribusiness in the country

A fruit pest trap in a farm where the fruits are infested by the False Codling Moth. The pest affects up to 70 crops. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

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By  Seeds of Gold Team

What you need to know:

  • FCM is now present in more than 70 host plant crops.  
  • The surge in the pest has made produce from Kenya be rejected by the European Union
  • Dairy farmers are set to benefit from a partnership between two organisations that seeks to improve milk yields.
  • Kenya’s laxity in regulating veterinary antibiotics is encouraging antimicrobial resistance, a veterinary expert has said.

State ups drive to fight deadly false codling moth

The government is working on curbing false codling moth (FCM),  a pest that affects up to 70 crops.

The surge in the pest has made produce from Kenya to be rejected by the European Union .  

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“FCM is now present in more than 70 host plant crops.  However,  we are working with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services, Pest Control Products Board 
and the Netherlands government to address the issue,”  said Clement Tulezi,  the Kenya Flower Council CEO.

-Brian Okinda

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Firms partner to boost growing of livestock fodder

Dairy farmers are set to benefit from a partnership between two organisations that seeks to improve milk yields.

Bles Dairies East Africa Limited and Nundoroto Agricultural Contracting Services Ltd  will run a model dubbed ‘total solution service’,  which will support farmers prepare land,  get quality farm inputs,  manage fodder crops and harvest and make silage.  

Nundoroto operations manager Humphrey Lilande,  said the model will involve use of technology.  

Bles Daries customer relations manager Solomon Misoi said the programme will involve 3,000 farmers.

-Stanley Kimuge

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Antimicrobial resistance blamed on haphazard sale of medicine 

Kenya’s laxity in regulating veterinary antibiotics is encouraging antimicrobial resistance, a veterinary expert has said.

Dr John Muchibi,  a veterinary pharmaceutical researcher,  termed the country’s management of veterinary medicine sales “as very poor”,  contributing to the rise of antimicrobial resistance.  

“Our management of drugs sold over the counter is disastrous. Any drug that is indicated as prescription only medicine should not be sold over the counter, but this is the case in many agrovets countrywide,”  Dr Muchibi said.

-Aggrey Omboki

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