Organic pest control : chewing pests off plants

by Josephat Juma

Fearing that their dream of a bumper harvest will be shattered by ravenous beetles and armyworms, local farmers in Makueni District of Eastern Kenya resorted to seeking intervention from herbalists and medicine men. The villagers believe that these are able to perform rituals that can kill the pests en-masse. One of the rituals dubbed "kuuma kiinyu," entails a toothless old man biting the worms. It has been performed in several divisions of the armyworm-infested district.

Christine, whose quarter acre of kale in Emali had been ravaged by the intruders, was distraught: "I have tried Agrinate, Dimethoate, Karate and Bestox (pesticides) but the worms keep on coming."

Quacks are having a field day. "I was wondering why the pesticide I was applying was not working. It turned out to be wheat flour which had been packaged as a pesticide," says angry farmer Mutiso.

Makueni District Agricultural Officer (DAO), John Kibe, confirmed that herbalists, medicine men and quacks were meddling with the conventional methods of killing the pests that invaded the district. He warned them to desist from cashing in on the farmers' misfortune and said that agricultural experts from Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) had been deployed in the affected areas to take samples of the pests in order to decide on the suitable pesticide to wipe them out. "The government has adequate pesticides to fight the pests," reassured Kibe.

For the farmers to turn to herbalists and medicine men, something must be wrong along the line. Kaloki, a farmer in Emali says that the last time he saw an agricultural extension officer was three years ago. Kaloki says that they have resorted to visiting only well-to-do families who give them tips and fuel their motorcycles. The extension officers don't deny this, blaming it on lack of fuel to power their motorcycles and the poor roads.

Most agro-based products are stocked in major town centers that are far away from the reach of most villagers. The few who are able to access them complain that they have not been packaged in manageable units to fit their low income levels.

The fact that extension officers only visit places that offer incentives should be an eye-opener. There is need to privatize and commercialize farm extension services. This will ensure that extension officers traverse remote regions, driven by profit. Competition among the extension officers will lead to value addition on their part and ensure that they give time to their clients. Agro product manufactures should consider adding an extension department in their companies which will not just target major towns, but rural regions as well. They should also consider repackaging their products in manageable units for purchase by farmers.

Instead of dismissing herbalists and medicine men in the fight against pests, training programs should target them because they form an important component in the fight against pests. This will convert them into extension officers as well.

Many NGOs have camped in Ukambani. Some, with full knowledge of agrochemicals that can wipe off pests, have steered clear of the issues as a result of controversies surrounding pesticide use, orchestrated by eco-imperialists that would like to see the earth remain "virgin," such as Pesticide Action Network (PAN). A key solution to food insecurity for the rural poor is to make available to farmers a "menu of technologies" from which they can choose : chemical fertilisers, pesticides, hybrid or other high-yielding seeds, as well as genetically engineered seeds. Investment needs to focus not only on technologies, but also on partnerships in research, training and education.

If a farmer condescends to biting worms to ward off the pest (call it organic method), shall he refuse to give in to chemicals that have led to food sufficiency in other parts of the world?

African Executive