Mrs. Anastacia Ngarama, a Kenyan mixed agriculturist, says adopting safety measures such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is essential for sustainable pest control.
Ngarama stated this in an interview with reporters on Saturday in Naivasha, Kenya.
IPM, she explained, is a sustainable approach that combines various methods to manage pests while minimizing risks to human health and the environment.
As part of activities marking the World Congress Week of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), participants visited Ngarama’s 12-acre farm to observe firsthand the implementation of the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework in Kenya.
According to Ngarama, she ensures safe crop production by using adequate manure, practicing mulching and weeding, and applying pest management techniques.
A tour of the farm revealed that she employs several local innovations under the IPM framework. Her farm integrates both livestock and crop production units, catering to local and export markets.
Among the innovations on display were banner crops for pest repelling, yellow sticky traps for pest monitoring and mass trapping, as well as physical barriers such as nets to eliminate pests. She also uses double doors, mating disruption, and pheromones to control moths and other insects.
Ngarama said she applies pesticides safely during dry seasons by engaging certified Spray Service Providers (SSPs) for disease identification and by strictly following label instructions and safety regulations.
Mr. Eric Kimunguyi, Chief Executive Officer of CropLife Kenya, noted that the farmer’s local innovations form part of Kenya’s sustainable pest management framework.
“The use of pesticides on this farm is significantly reduced because other effective measures are in place to control pests,” he said. “Pesticide use is the last resort, and that’s our guiding philosophy in pest management.”
Kimunguyi added that Ngarama also uses manure to improve soil fertility and employs irrigation to enhance productivity.
He described the farm as a model of sustainable pest management through a combination of biological and physical control methods.
“So far, we are convinced that this farm gives a good indication of how a sustainable pest management strategy should look,” he said.
Fredrick Muchiri, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), said the board was working toward registering active ingredients with diverse modes of action to strengthen pest management.
“In our registration system, we are addressing the resurgence of new pests such as the fall armyworm, which is not indigenous to Kenya and continues to threaten grain production,” he said.
