By Christine Ochogo | christawine@yahoo.com
In the semi-arid lands of Makueni County which lies roughly 100-150 km South-East of Nairobi, Kenya, fruit farming is a key source of livelihood.
The county leads in mango production in the country with a total of 4.3 million mango trees grown by nearly 28,000 farmers.
According to Maarifa Centre, which operates under the auspices of the Council of Governors (CoG), Kenya, approximately 70 per cent of households in Makueni County engage in mixed fruit farming (mangoes, citrus, Avocado and other fruits) with over 70,000 households relying specifically on mango production as of 2023.
However, pests and post-harvest losses have long threatened farmers’ incomes resulting in economic losses of over Ksh 72 billion yearly (approximately US$ 550 million).
The Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) 2019 scientific report The Global Burden of Crop Loss, indicates that up to 40 percent of crops are lost annually to pests before they are even harvested.
In addressing this challenge, farmers in Makueni County are embracing innovative solutions to boost fruit production and reduce losses.
Among them is Mrs Phyllis Nduva, a fruit farmer who has embraced organic farming and uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in her 20-acre orchard, while minimising economic, health and environmental risks.
This initiative is gradually being emulated by some farmers who are abandoning the use of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers on their farms.
For more information please watch the video herein: [https://youtu.be/N4ZSFioVo6o]
