Pest Incursions Pose a Serious Threat To Food Security and the Kenyan Economy

Abstract

Although Kenya has a well-developed phytosanitary system to regulate introduction of plant and plant products, several pest incursions have been reported in the last two decades. The incursions have culminated in devastating impact on agriculture, biodiversity and the entire Kenyan economy. The objective of this review is to consolidate information on the pests involved, their distribution, estimate the economic losses associated with them and management measures in place. A total of 11 major pests and  diseases  namely Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Bactrocera dorsalis, Banana xanthomonas wilt (BXW), Cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), Cassava mosaic disease (CMD), Fall army worm (FAW), Maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND), Papaya mealybug (PMB), Parthenium hysterophorus, potato cyst nematode (PCN) and tomato leaf miners (Tuta absoluta) have been reported in the last two decades. Some of the pests are persistent, invasive, vicious and fast spreading. For instance, the FAW has now spread to nearly all maize growing areas in Kenya in one year after the pest was first reported in 2017. The incursion pests are a major threat to food security, expensive to control and are a barrier to international market access. Integrated measures including improvement of diagnostic potential, increased pest and disease surveillance, improvement in rapid response and pest containment are needed in view of the dangers posed by incursion pests to the entire Kenyan economy whose mainstay is agriculture.