Farmers in Nakuru County have been urged to adopt the use of bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers 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 fertilisers, 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-fertilisers exhibition at the Agricultural Training Centre 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 the diagnosis and recommendation 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 biopesticides among their peers is vital to enhancing sustainable pest management practices within our farming communities.
The exhibition was organised in collaboration with the Cereals Growers Association—Farm to Market Alliance (CGA-FtMA), which brought together over 20 stakeholders. Also in attendance are Ag. Directors of Agriculture and Livestock Production, Mrs. Hannah Oduor and Virginiah Ngunjiri.
In the recent past, there has been a hue and cry over fake fertilisers in the country, but the officers refused to comment, claiming that it was not part of their mandate.
Already, Agricultural Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has assured the country that farmers who were issued fake fertiliser would be compensated.
However, the chairman of small-scale farmers in the county, Bernard Mwenje, said that, much as the usage of organic fertiliser was a good thing for the environment, its making and accessibility due to its higher cost were likely to be a challenge for a number of farmers.
By Veronica Bosibori
