Nakuru: The County Government of Nakuru, in collaboration with Egerton University, the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), and the Agrochemicals Association of Kenya (AAK Grow), has successfully trained 90 extension officers on integrated weed management. This initiative aims to address the threat posed by weeds to food security and nutrition in Kenya.
According to Kenya News Agency, County Agriculture Chief Officer Newton Mwaura emphasized that the training was a strategic move to build the capacity of extension officers ahead of the long rain season. These officers are expected to train farmers on proper agronomical practices. Additionally, the training included a focus on identifying illegal pesticides, which is crucial in combating the influx of unregistered, counterfeit, and banned pesticides into mainstream markets.
Mwaura elaborated that the training equipped officers with skills to educate farmers on the responsible use of pesticides, promoting sustainable and safe food production. The session emphasized integrated weed management, covering weed classification, management strategies, and safe pesticide use. Officers were also trained to detect smuggled, illegal, unregistered, and counterfeit pesticide products.
The chief officer highlighted that the training comes at a crucial time, as misuse of pesticides is leading to biodiversity loss, destruction of beneficial insect populations, and reduced food safety. The county's agriculture department recognizes the significant challenges posed by pests, diseases, and weeds, which often result in crop losses of 30 to 40 percent. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from both national and county stakeholders.
Mwaura stressed the importance of equipping extension officers with the knowledge to detect counterfeit and illegal pesticides. Such products, which may contain banned or restricted chemicals, pose risks to human health and the environment, and can be ineffective or even harmful to crops.
Through this initiative, extension officers will be better equipped to train smallholder farmers to adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), ensuring healthy crops and minimizing the risk of contamination from dangerous pathogens or agrochemicals. Mwaura disclosed that the initiative is part of a broader process by Governor Susan Kihika's administration to align Kenya's food production systems with sanitary and phytosanitary standards, guidelines essential for producing safe food.
Mwaura also noted that reducing pesticide risks will improve food safety and protect farmers, community members, animals, and environmental health. Weeds, seen as an expensive nuisance, compete with crops for water and nutrients, impacting crop growth and farmer profits. Common weeds in Kenya include striga, amaranthus species, sow thistles, goosegrass, field dodder, common purslane, bidens pilosa, and cleavers.
Despite their economic impact, weeds are often underestimated compared to insects. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that nearly three million people are poisoned by agricultural chemicals annually, with 200,000 deaths. In Kenya, around 350,000 cases of pesticide poisoning are reported each year.