PICTURE: Kello Harsama, PS for crop development
Kello Harsama, PS for crop development, on Tuesday, launched a new pesticide in Mwea to combat the menace of snails damaging crops. Following the confirmation of the presence of the invasive Apple Snail species in the Mwea region, a Multi-Institutional Technical Team (MITT) was assembled to develop a comprehensive strategy aimed at tackling this new agricultural pest.
The team came up with a solution in the form of a bio-pesticide called Biograde 300 SL, derived from tea saponin which has successfully obtained the necessary registration status for effectively managing the Apple Snail invasion. The Ministry has taken proactive measures by procuring 20,000 litres of this bio-pesticide to initiate pest control operations by the conclusion of the 2022/2023 financial year.
In light of this development, private stakeholders offer essential machinery for rice production have been strongly urged to implement precautionary measures by thoroughly cleaning their equipment before relocating them from Mwea to other rice cultivation areas, such as the Western, Nyanza, and Coastal regions to curb the rapid spread of the snail infestation.
Esther Kimani, CEO of the Pest Control Products Board, emphasized the importance of using registered pesticides approved by relevant government institutions. She emphasized the significance of reading and following the instructions and application methods specified on the pesticide labels. She also noted the board’s continuous efforts to stay updated with new information regarding pesticides, which sometimes leads to the revision or cancellation of certain pesticide usage.