This archive report was first published on 25 April 2020.
On April 23, 2020, the Trans Nzoia County government received a vital shipment of 3,000 litres of pesticide to combat the fall army worm infestation in the region.
The pesticide donation, courtesy of the national government, is a significant relief to small-scale farmers who have been struggling to afford the cost of the pesticide.
Speaking to the press at the Kitale Agriculture offices, Mary Nzomo, the Trans Nzoia County Executive for Agriculture, emphasized the importance of vigilance among wheat and avocado farmers in identifying and controlling the army worms.
“The pest is known to mainly feed on maize but it can also infest other crops like wheat and avocado,” Nzomo said.
She urged farmers to adopt alternative planting methods, focusing on short-term crops with short season maturity to boost food security during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Farmers need to embrace alternative planting of short-term harvesting crops like Irish potatoes, vegetables, and fruits so as to boost food security during this season,” she urged.
Additionally, the county government has trained 50 youths as spray service providers to aid in the fight against fall army worms.
Robert Musikoyo, the Trans Nzoia Agriculture Chief Officer, assured farmers that the pesticides were safe for use.
He also announced that the county government had received 9,000 coffee and tea seedlings from the national government under the crop diversification programme, which would be distributed to small-scale farmers to encourage them to diversify their crops.
