Ukulima True Behaviour Change Campaign
Ukulima True is a campaign implemented by the County Government of Nakuru in Partnership with CABI and the Centre for Behaviour Change and Communication Centre (CBCC). The campaign is being implemented in Nakuru County, Subukia Sub-County, from May to December 2023. The campaign - which is part of the CABI PlantwisePlus programme - is seeking to reduce the risk of pesticides to stakeholders in the food value chain.
Reducing pesticide risks for these actors will improve the safety of food and protect farmers, community members, animals, and environmental health. PlantwisePlus also works to ensure safer plant protection products, such as biopesticides and biocontrol products, are readily available and affordable for farmers.
About Ukulima True
Following a consultative process with various relevant stakeholders and insights generated through research, Ukulima True Campaign was born. This was informed by the rationale that farmers are naturally proud. They take pride in their skills, their land and, most importantly, their ability to feed the world. That's why they always strive to be the best. They want to produce the highest quality products and fetch the highest price in the market.
However, great produce goes hand in hand with authenticity. Authenticity of seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals used, methods used, no taking of shortcuts, hard work and dedication in all weather, and adversity. This campaign will glorify best practices in farming, depicting the farmers utilizing these practices as “TRUE FARMERS.”
We will convey that real farmers don’t take shortcuts; they nurture, they don’t destroy, and they care about future generations. They engage in sustainable agriculture. But to succeed, Mkulima True needs all of us to also be true. The responsibility to ensure safe food is not just the farmers; every member of our society needs to do their part in ensuring our food is safe. After all, we are what we eat.
Ukulima True objectives
Increase awareness of farmers, value chain actors and the public on the importance of the correct use of pesticides
Motivate farmers to use pesticides correctly and to access and use alternative pest control measures to synthetic pesticides.
Increase the confidence of farmers to use PPE & demand for service spray providers.
Lobby for improved linkages for markets for farm produce
Problems Ukulima True seeks to address.
Unsafe use of pesticides: Farmers not using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), excessive use (over-spraying/wrong titration) of pesticides, inadequate checking/calibrating of equipment, using wrong/unapproved products etc.
Farmers providing markets with unsafe produce: Harvesting and selling of produce before expiry of Pre-harvest Interval (PHI).
Limited use of biological alternatives to synthetic pesticides: Limited availability of biological alternatives, low knowledge on how they work (better for prevention), preference for quick knock down (take longer to work).
Farmers not accessing reliable information on optimal pest management: Few extension officers, limited participation in field schools/knowledge sharing platforms or trainings, limited information on mass media on safe & sustainable pest management, farmers not accessing reliable information on optimal pest management.
Ukulima True priority behaviors
- Farmers safely use pesticides to minimize health risks to themselves, other people, animals, and the environment through amongst others: By using PPEs, maintaining their equipment, spraying in correct weather conditions, and Using SSPs.
- Farmers access safer and affordable alternatives (e.g., bio traps, bio-pesticides etc.) to synthetic pesticides.
- Farmers provide the markets with safe produce that has acceptable to no pesticide residual levels.
- Farmers access information from reliable sources on safe and correct ways to control pests- through agrodealers, extension officers, IPM champions, and the media.
Ukulima True audiences
The primary audience is the individual farmer. The farmers are directly influenced by Agrodealers, Extension Workers, Community members, Market traders and indirectly influenced by policy and decision-makers.
