Uganda was funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) to run a project from October 2012 to March 2015 to strengthen its phytosanitary capacity in order to meet requirements of the European Union (EU) market and reduce interception of its rose exports due to the presence of...

Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw (Cactaceae) is invasive in Laikipia County, Kenya, impacting negatively on biodiversity and livelihoods. To control this invasive plant the biocontrol agent Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) (Hemiptera; Dactylopiidae) 'stricta' biotype was released in 2014. A preliminary...

One of the main drivers of food insecurity is pests, which are estimated to cause around 40% of crop losses worldwide. We examine the food security effects of plant clinics, a novel agricultural extension model that aims to reduce crop losses due to pests through the provision of demand-driven...

Background: Although Kenya has a relatively high number of registered biopesticide products, little is known about biopesticide use by smallholders. This paper documents farmers' current use and perception of chemical pesticides and biopesticides, their willingness to pay for biopesticides, and the ...

This paper assesses the relative costs and benefits of desiccant beads drying/hermetic storage and alternative drying and storage technologies. The study was conducted in Kenya and Tanzania in areas producing and trading vegetable seeds using a sample size of 280 respondents. The study revealed...

A new distribution map is provided for Delottococcus aberiae (De Lotto). Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae. Host: Citrus spp. Information is given on the geographical distribution in Africa (Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe) and Europe (Spain).

Plantwise (PW) is a global programme led by CABI that is improving farmers' livelihoods by providing them with plant health information in order to reduce production losses and increase crop yields. In Kenya the programme was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and...

There is a broad consensus that farmers are not simply recipients of promoted techniques: rather, they are also an important source of agricultural innovations. They invent farm tools and equipment, develop new crop varieties, and add value to externally promoted technologies. When scouting,...

Following reports of an invasive snail causing crop damage in the expansive Mwea irrigation scheme in Kenya, samples of snails and associated egg masses were collected and sent to CABI laboratories in the UK for molecular identification. DNA barcoding analyses using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I ...

Mobile apps are increasingly being used to answer development challenges around the world. The development opportunities that apps offer is wide-reaching but uptake of the technology varies. This article examines the ease of use and factors impacting user acceptance and behavior when interacting...