Pesticides-001
Farmers in Nakuru County have been urged to adopt the use of bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers to ensure safe and sustainable increased agricultural production as they offer a safe, natural, and effective alternative.
They were encouraged to shift from conventional chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers, which often come with detrimental environmental and health consequences. This was highlighted today by Agriculture Chief Officer Newton Mwaura during a bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers exhibition at the Agricultural Training Center in Soilo.
Mwaura noted that the administration under the leadership of H.E Governor Susan Kihika has continued to create awareness and provide technical assistance in the promotion of organic farming by training 69 plant doctors and establishing 50 plant clinics to aid farmers in diagnosis and recommendations of the best management practices.
Additionally, having farmers who are Integrated Pest Management (IPM) champions, who promote the use of safer pest control products such as traps and bio pesticides among their peers as they play a vital role in enhancing sustainable pest management practices within our farming communities.
The exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Cereals Growers Association – Farm to Market Alliance (CGA-FtMA) which brought together over 20 stakeholders. Also, in attendance is Ag. Directors Agriculture and Livestock Production Mrs. Hannah Oduor and Virginiah Ngunjiri.
In the recent past there has been a hue and cry over fake fertilizers in the country, but the officers refused to comment claiming that it was not part of their mandate. Already, the Agricultural Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has assured the country that farmers who were issued with fake fertilizer would be compensated.
However, the chairman of small-scale farmers in the county, Bernard Mwenje said, much as the usage of organic fertilizer was a good thing for the environment, the making of it and accessibility due to higher cost was likely to be a challenge for a number of farmers.