Kakamega farmers trained on handling maize diseases

The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation has trained farmers in Kakamega on how to identify and manage maize diseases to help them improve yields.

During a farmer sensitisation event at the Non-Ruminant Research Institute, experts said Western region is prone to maize diseases because of its conducive weather conditions.

Dr LM Suresh, a researcher, said farmers in the region were unaware of the disease that attacks their crop, hence the need to educate them on how to identify, diagnose and manage the diseases to improve production.

Suresh said researchers are working to come up with high-yielding disease-resistant seeds so farmers can reduce the cost of production and produce more food from their farms.

“The government should identify specific laboratories for various ecological areas where farmers can access services on maize diseases,” he said.

The major maize faller diseases include Tucicun Leaf Blight (TLBl), Grey Leaf Spot (GLS), Common Maize Rust, Fusarium Ear Rot, Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN), Maize Streak Virus (MSV) and Maize Smut.

He urged farmers to plant disease-resistant seeds to cut down on the costs of production and produce more from their farms.

Dr Vincent Were, a maize researcher with Kalro, Kakamega said little attention has been given to maize diseases compared to diseases that attack other crops.

“Most farmers don’t know about these diseases and how to manage them, yet the diseases affect production,” he said.

“Research on new technologies and innovations on the management of maize diseases is ongoing, and we will keep sensitising our farmers on the same as we develop them.”

Prof Mathews Dida, a plant breeder and researcher at Maseno University, said the university, in collaboration with Kalro and the University of Pretoria in South Africa, will unveil new disease-resistant and high-yielding seeds. 

A farmer, Faith Atsali, said Kalro should develop more disease-resistant seeds for farmers.

“We want them to come down to the villages and test our soils then inform us which crops can do better in our farms,” she said.

Bernard Sulumeri said Kalro should enter into a partnership with the county government to ensure the subsidised seeds supplied by the county are disease-resistant and have higher yields.