Her misery, compounded by the fall armyworm attack, has forced their children to run to urban areas in search of informal employment in an effort to make ends meet. The heart-wrenching experiences from Muasya and Nduku are replicated across maize farmers in 27 counties in the country who are grappling with the pest.
Scientists from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) under the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project have been conducting national field trials to evaluate the performance of Bt maize and provide sustainable solutions against pest invasion and drought in the country.
“In the course of our research, we have demonstrated in regulated experiments, in western and eastern Kenya, that Bt maize is not only able to control the stem borer, but also the fall armyworm,” said Dr. Murenga Mwimali, a maize breeder at KALRO.
Farmers in Kenya are urging the government to fast track the adoption of genetically modified crops that will see the commercial release of Bt maize eventually marking the end of their woes. “I will not hesitate to accept genetically modified maize if it resists pests and drought,” Nduku ardently acknowledged.
