Farmers should brace for tougher times following a surge of new-generation pests, scientists have warned.
Destructive pests including the white fly, thrips and spider mites are evolving into new bugs with rising temperatures, the Association of International Research and Development Centers for Agriculture has said.
Chairman Dyno Keatinge yesterday said the government and research firms should act quickly.
“As temperatures rise, the white fly is able to evolve into two or three generations each year. Farmers need to have information on how to deal with pests and disease,” he said during a forum on agriculture diversification.
Keatinge said farmers should diversify into other crops to cushion themselves from the “ever increasing problem” of pests and diseases.
“Research institutions should also share and transfer new technologies to subsistence farmers, he added.
James Nyoro, the government advisor on agriculture, however said that Kenya is well positioned to deal with emerging pests because there is a lot of research being done of water tolerant crop varieties.
He added that farmers should be encouraged to practice climate smart agriculture by feeding them with alerts on new pests.
This, he said, will enable researchers to develop new pesticides, but more importantly, develop predators that can feed on new infestations.
“One of the ways of dealing with adverse climate change effects is technology development. We need to put our money where our mouth is in terms of generating research and development,” said Nyoro.