On-farm maize storage systems and rodent postharvest losses in six maize growing agro-ecological zones of Kenya

Rodents are one of the major postharvest pests that affect food security by impacting on both food availability and safety. However, knowledge of the impact of rodents in on-farm maize storage systems in Kenya is limited. A survey was conducted in 2014 to assess magnitudes of postharvest losses in on-farm maize storage systems in Kenya, and the contribution of rodents to the losses. A total of 630 farmers spread across six maize growing agro-ecological zones (AEZs) were interviewed. Insects, rodents and moulds were the main storage problems reported by farmers. Storage losses were highest in the moist transitional and moist mid-altitude zones, and lowest in the dry-transitional zone. Overall, rodents represented the second most important cause of storage losses after insects, and were ranked as the main storage problem in the lowland tropical zone, while insects were the main storage problem in the other AEZs. Where maize was stored on cobs, total farmer perceived (farmer estimation) storage weight losses were 11.1 ± 0.7 %, with rodents causing up to 43 % of these losses. Contrastingly, where maize was stored as shelled grain, the losses were 15.5 ± 0.6 % with rodents accounting for up to 30 %. Regression analysis showed that rodents contributed significantly to total storage losses (p < 0.0001), and identified rodent trapping as the main storage practice that significantly (p = 0.001) lowered the losses. Together with insecticides, rodent traps were found to significantly decrease total losses. Improved awareness and application of these practices could mitigate losses in on farm-stored maize

Botanical pesticide production, trade and regulatory mechanisms in sub-Saharan Africa: making a case for plant-based pesticidal products

Pesticides are the major technology used in the management of field and postharvest losses due to pests. There is growing demand for effective alternatives that present low health risks and conserve ecosystems and biological diversity. Pesticidal plants are increasingly used as alternatives where synthetic products are unaffordable, have limited availability or are ineffective. Plant materials, however, are often used inefficiently and their effective use requires optimisation. In Africa wide-scale uptake of pesticidal plants remains limited despite the success of pyrethrum in some countries and other pesticidal plant products in China and India. This is mainly due to lack of data on efficacy and safety, inconsistent efficacy of plant products, the prohibitive cost of registration, and an inadequately developed conventional pesticides sector. Globally, the demand for botanicals is poised to grow due to an increasing shift in consumer demand for safe food, increasing organic farming, lobbying by environmentalists and the increasing pressure from new regulations on internationally traded foods in Europe. These demands can only be met by formalising production, marketing and use of pesticidal plants. This has to be supported by friendly registration procedures, sustainable forest management, propagation and cultivation of pesticidal plants. This paper presents a critical review of the enabling environment required for wide-scale adoption and commercialisation of botanical pesticides in sub-Saharan Africa. We conclude that regulations and protocols for production, marketing and trade need to be reviewed to facilitate the development of the botanicals sector in Africa