Fruit Fly IPM

The production of fruit offers one of the most important opportunities for income generation, employment creation and improvement in food and nutritional security, in Africa. However, fruit production is significantly constrained by a variety of factors including insect pests, some of which are considered quarantine pests, resulting in the rejection of produce from Africa in export markets. Most fruit growers are smallholders who often lack access to effective pest and disease control tools, forcing them to rely on synthetic insecticides, which are often ineffective, eliminate natural enemies of the pests, exceed the maximum residue level (MRL) legislation set by the European Union, and are detrimental to the health of the growers, consumers and the environment. Over the years, icipe in collaboration with partners from Africa, Asia, Europe and USA, has developed integrated pest management (IPM) package for exotic and native fruit flies, the key pests of fruits. The icipe developed fruit fly IPM package is aimed at managing pests at the pre-harvest and post-harvest stage. Overall, these interventions are safe to the users, the consumers and the environment. The pre-harvest component goes beyond controlling fruit flies by extending cascading effects to the interwoven natural and man controlled ecosystems which are vital for food production, storage of carbon, soil life, purification of air and general livelihoods especially for the resource poor and vulnerable people of the world. At the centre of the concern, is the pollination crisis potentially created by the widespread deployment of irresponsible fruit fly management actions which can be adequately addressed by the promotion and adoption of environmentally friendly pre- and post-harvest management strategies. Strategies being promoted are supported by solid science involving predictive ecological models, microbiome research on endosymbionts for use in IPM, biological control, post-harvest protocols, and a holistic cropping systems approach as opposed to pest based approaches. Our interventions are cognizant of human livelihoods and actors across various production systems and value chains, hence the incorporation of socio economic tools such as the Project Level Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (Pro-WEAI) that seek to understand determinants of women empowerment and disempowerment especially in the highly patriarchal system of SSA. Fruit Fly IPM research feeds into icipe’s mission and vision (Vision and strategy 2021-2025) as well as various regional and international development policies and initiatives for the betterment of people’s lives through research and technology transfer.

 

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Researchers

Research Officers-(Technical)

  • Peterson Wachira Nderitu
  • James Wahome
  • Sarine Onyango
  • Francis Obala
  • Patrick Koech Kipkorir
  • Jimali Ibrahim Omar

Support staff

  • Fridah Mueni Kasolo
  • Jackline Ngunjiri
  • Mary Njoroge
  • Mary Odhiambo
  • Noelle Leah
  • Alex Muthembwa
  • John Ndung’u
  • Barrack Omondi
  • Brian Cheruiyot

Administration

  • Carolyne Akal
  • Cynthia Opany