Farmers advised on maize storage as wet weather intensifies

Farmers have been urged to store their properly dried maize in airtight or sealed bags to reduce the risk of the produce developing aflatoxins. 

The toxins, which may develop due to poor storage especially in wet weather, can cause liver damage and cancer.

Experts are concerned that many farmers may have been unable to properly dry their grains because they harvested late - just as the rains began.

"Timely harvest of crops limits aflatoxin contamination. Harvest immediately after the crop is mature. Pluck the cobs off the plant and dry to less than 13 per cent moisture content without delay," experts, who included aflatoxin expert Dr Charity Mutegi, said in their manual, Management of Aflatoxins in Maize and Groundnuts in Kenya.

They also advised farmers to properly store their dried maize.

Ensuring the recommended moisture content and subsequent storage in hermetic (airtight) structures will reduce the cases of aflatoxin contamination, the experts explained.

Aflatoxin contamination is known to be prevalent in the Eastern region of Kenya, where home-grown maize is often contaminated during the post-harvest stage of maize grain handling, according to a separate study published in the Journal of Food Quality.

The advisory comes as the Meteorological Department released a weather report showing continued heavy rains across the country.

This means in the absence of prolonged sunlight, farmers may have to turn to other methods of drying their maize.

Most parts of the country will continue to record heavy downpours this week, the latest warning by the weatherman said on Tuesday in a five-day forecast covering April 9 to April 13.

The weatherman says some counties especially those in Northeastern Kenya will record said temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.

The counties include Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale and Turkana.

"Rainfall to continue across the country, with heavy rainfall anticipated in Central Highlands, Western Kenya, Rift Valley, South-eastern lowlands, Coast, North-eastern, and North-western Kenya," the forecast shows.

The forecast showed that counties in the Highlands East of the Rift Valley including Nairobi, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi will record rains over a few places in the morning.

Showers and thunderstorms will be experienced over several places in the afternoon paving the way for showers over several places at night.

Temperatures in these counties will be as high as 28 degrees Celsius during the day before dropping to as low as 10 degrees Celsius at night. 

According to the forecast, counties in the North-eastern part of the country which include Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo will record temperatures as high as 38 degrees Celsius during the day and 16 degrees Celsius at night.

During the forecast period, the counties are predicted to record rains in the morning, showers in the afternoon and at night.

"This forecast should be used in conjunction with the daily (24-hour) forecast issued by this Department," Director of Metrological Services  David Gikungu said.

"County-specific forecasts are available from the offices of respective County Directors of Meteorology," he advised.

The forecast shows that counties in the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, and the Rift Valley will record morning rains, showers and thunderstorms over several places in the afternoon and showers at night.

They include Siaya,Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo,Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia and West Pokot.

Turkana and Samburu counties will also record morning rains and afternoon showers and thunderstorms over a few places during the forecast period.

Temperatures during this week will be as high as 36 degrees Celsius during the day and drop to as low as 13 degrees Celsius at night.