Machakos, Kenya – Mango farmers in Makueni and Machakos counties
have taken their marketing a notch higher by venturing into foreign fruit markets.
This is as a result of good harvests being experienced by farmers in those
regions. The good harvests have been attributed to the adoption of the
effective and environmental friendly Fruit Fly Integrated Pest Management
technology developed by the International Center
of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)
and being implemented in the region by the help of the Anglican Development Services Eastern (ADSE).
This has enabled the farmers to
harvest mangoes with little or no fruit fly infestations and are also able to
meet the international markets’ maximum residue level requirements. Speaking
during an Integrated
Biological Control Applied Research Program (IBCARP) training on Taxonomy,
Monitoring and Management of Fruit Flies organized by ADSE involving
agricultural extension officers held in Masii Machakos County on 10th
and 11th March, 2016, Mr. Mwangi, the county deputy director of
agriculture-crops stated that the agricultural stake holders in the county are
engaging more farmers to adopt good agricultural practices which include the Fruit
Fly IPM technology in order to achieve maximum economic value of mangoes in the
region.
Citing the example of Makueni
growers’ cooperative, which is doing well in regional markets as well as
foreign markets in Dubai, He stated that the farmers are now exploring the
markets in China and Russia. “We need to extend these success stories to
Machakos and other areas in the region”, he said. Mr. Mwangi further stated that plans are
underway to increase mango value chain in order to boost farmers’ income from
the crop. The demand for Fruit Fly IPM materials is on the rise as more farmers
are adopting the technology hence there’s need to upscale the project
activities.
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