Abstract: Classical biological control (CBC) has been exploited as a safer alternative for suppressing the oriental fruit fy, Bactrocera dorsalis, by importing, rearing, and releasing the larval parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. Although D. longicaudata has been released in Kenya through the Africa Fruit Fly Programme, the extent of its dispersal and subsequent economic benefts have not yet been established. This paper models the spatio-temporal dispersal of the parasitoid using the ...
Abstract: The sustainable utilisation of black soldier fly (BSF) for recycling organic waste into high-quality protein feed and organic fertiliser with a low environmental footprint is gaining momentum worldwide. Although BSF farming is becoming a rapidly growing agribusiness, studies on the BSF farming’s economic aspects are limited. This study analysed the economic benefits of farming BSF for animal feeds and composted frass, called frass fertiliser (FF) production using experimental dat...
Abstract: The push-pull technology (PPT) is considered as an alternative integrated pest management strategy for the control of fall armyworm and stemborer, among smallholder maize farmers in sub-Sahara African to conventional pesticides. However, the extent of PPT use in Rwanda where the technology was introduced in 2017 remains largely unexplored. This paper employed a fractional logit model to assess the factors influencing the intensity of adoption of PPT among smallholder maize farmers ...
Abstract: The article “The Dynamics and Role of Gender in High-Value Avocado Farming in Kenya”, written by Beatrice Muriithi, Jane Kabubo-Mariara, was originally pub- lished electronically on the publisher’s internet portal on 12 November 2021 without open access. With the author(s)’ decision to opt for Open Choice the copyright of the article changed on 21 of December to © The Author(s) 2021 and the article is forthwith distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internati...
Abstract: Cereals particularly maize, are the most essential food and cash crops for majority of smallholder households in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In maize production, small-sized producers are confronted with different constraints including stemborers, Striga and degraded soil leading to poor crop yields. In response to these challenges, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and collaborators came up with a habitat management approach; the Push-pull Technology ...
Abstract: The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), undertook a biological control (BC) programme for control of stemborers from 1993 to 2008, to reduce cereal yield losses due to stemborer attack in East and Southern Africa. The programme released four biological control agents—Cotesia flavipes, Cotesia sesamiae, Telenomus isis and Xanthopimpla stemmator—to control the economically important stemborer pests Busseola fusca, Chilo partellus and Sesamia calamistis....
Abstract: Citrus is a major source of income in Kenya for both large and small scale farmers. However, citrus productivity has been declining over the years mainly due to pests and diseases, particularly the African Citrus Triozid (ACT), Huanglongbing (HLB) and False Codling Moth (FCM). Management of pests and diseases is sorely dependent on synthetic pesticides, which not only increases production costs but also are associated with high health and environmental risks. Use of integrated pest...
Abstract: Poultry and fish are important sub-sectors in Kenya providing rural farmer households with income and contributing to their food and nutritional security. Although ownership of these enterprises is not gender specific women are the ones involved in taking care of them. The study utilized cross-section data from a sample of 386 poultry farmers and 278 fish farmers randomly selected from three counties which are Nakuru, Kisii and Kirinyaga Counties. The feed demand for both poultry a...
Abstract: This study aimed at comparing the economics of rice production for two different groups of farmers in Mwea Irrigation Scheme (MIS). One group is under the management of Mwea Multi-Purpose Rice Growers (MMRG) and grows a single crop of rice in a year without rotation. The other group is composed of the sons and daughters of MMRG tenant farmers and grows a double crop of rice in a year. It is however not clear which of the two production systems is efficient or realises higher return...
Description: Msc. Thesis
Abstract: Mango is the third most important fruit in Kenya in terms of area and total production. nutritionally, mango fruit is important for vitamins and mineral provision in the dail diet of Kenyans. as an export.....(continue from the attached PDF)
Abstract: In Kenya, citrus industry has been on the decline due to pests and diseases specifically African citrus triozid (ACT), false codling moth (FCM) pests and Huánglóngbìng (HLB) disease.Management of ACT, HLB and FCM is currently based on application of pesticides. Use of pesticides is associated with increased environmental risks, substantial increase in production costs and pesticide resistance. Furthermore, exports are limited due to non-compliance to maximum residue levels (MRLs...
Food security has become a national priority for the country considering that a vast majority of its 198.1 million population is food insecure. Food and nutrition insecurity is prevalent in Nigeria despite its favourable agroecological endowments. It has a total landmass of 92.4 million hectares, out of which only about 32 million hectares or 34.63 percent are under cultivation. Nigeria, therefore, lacks both the capacity and capability to cater for the food and nutrition requirements of its ...
ABSTRACT Food security has become a national priority for the country considering that a vast majority of its 198.1 million population is food insecure. Food and nutrition insecurity is prevalent in Nigeria despite its favourable agroecological endowments. It has a total landmass of 92.4 million hectares, out of which only about 32 million hectares or 34.63 percent are under cultivation. ...
This research study examines the transformative role of mobile applications in empowering smallholder farmers through increased access to information, market linkages, financial inclusion, and improved resource management. The study explores how mobile apps have facilitated real-time access to relevant agricultural information, including weather updates, crop prices, best farming practices, and pest management techniques. The availability of reliable information enables farmers to make inform...