The government of Kenya, through the Kenya Standing Technical Committee on Imports and Exports, gave the green light to farmers countrywide regarding the widespread use of Acerophagus Papayae, an endoparasitic wasp, used in the control of Papaya mealybug.
The announcement was made by CABI, a Nairobi-based UK non-profit that promotes natural solutions for pests and diseases. CABI has been conducting experiments on the wasps in counties such as Machakos, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, Baringo, Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi.
They noted that the parasitic wasps can take up to 6 months before they are effective since introduction to the farm. According to CABI, Kephis, and KALRO, a farm infested with Papaya mealybugs can cause losses of up to Sh. 356,000 per hectare annually.
“The Kenyan authorities are now satisfied that CABI had provided strong evidence of the efficiency of A. Papaya against the papaya mealybug and it is safe for national release,” read the statement in part.
The research fronted by the organisation indicated that the wasps caused a 75% mortality rate of the papaya mealybug. This caused the average papaya yields on the farm to nearly double. Farmers’ income for those who allowed for the treatment process, grew by 20%.
“The nationwide release of Acerophagus Papayae (the wasp) further demonstrated the power of partnership working to sustainably tackle a major crop pest while reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides,” said KALRO’s chief research scientist Johnson Nyasani.
Farmers who used this preventive measure reported a 100% increase in yield and shifted from the use of chemical pesticides. The wasps work by laying eggs on the mealybug until it dies.
Acerophagus Papayae is reared on a large scale at Muguga. The rollout of the agent is being funded by partners at no cost to the smallholder farmers.
