TARI AND ICIPE TRAIN 165 EXTENSION OFFICERS AND FARMERS ON FRUIT TREE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
- 16th September, 2024 07:40
- By DAUSON.MALELA
- News
A
total of 165 extension officers and leading farmers from 31 wards in Hai, Siha
(Kilimanjaro region), and Muheza district in Tanga region have been trained on
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for pests attacking avocado, mango, and orange
fruit.
The
training was held from September 9th to 13th, 2024, by
researchers from the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) through
its Ukiriguru (Mwanza), Tengeru (Arusha), and Mlingano (Tanga) research centres
in collaboration with researchers from the International Center for Insect
Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) located in Nairobi, Kenya, under the funding of
the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) through ICIPE.
The
four-day training was part of implementing the three-year Fruit Tree
agroecological-based IPM project in the fruit-growing regions of Kilimanjaro
and Tanga. Its main focus is to help farmers become aware of IPM technologies
that minimize the cost of fruit production and increase fruit yield and
quality. In the Hai and Siha districts, the training focused on avocado, while
in Muheza district, the training was based on orange and mango.
Speaking
during the first day of training held at the Hai district council hall, the
project leader in Tanzania through TARI, Dr. Abdullah Mkiga, said the training
is also meant to ensure that farmers are able to identify the fruit tree pests,
especially fruit flies and False Codling Moth (FCM), and implement suppression
measures using an integrated pest management approach.
On his
part, Dr. Shepard Ndlela the team leader from ICIPE revealed that through
integrated pest management, farmers will also be able to minimize the use of
chemical pesticides for high productivity and quality while keeping human and
environmental health safe.
Beneficiaries
of the training have commended the eco-friendly IPM technologies such as
on-farm monitoring, use of biopesticides, male annihilation, baiting
techniques, use of natural enemies including parasitoids, and orchard sanitation
especially the use of Augmentorium.
Charles
Semagongo is a farmer in Mkinga Village, Muheza District-Tanga region who owns over 1,500 orange
trees. He says the training has helped him in identifying pests that he
previously didn't consider dangerous to his mango and orange orchards.
On her
part, Fatuma Muhammed, an orange farmer in Mkinga Village, Muheza district,
said that through the training, she can now differentiate natural enemies from
pests. She has also learned how to integrate them with other compatible control
techniques for higher productivity.
"We knew that these insects
(Weaver ants) destroy our oranges, but experts from TARI and ICIPE have told us
that they are friendly insects that prevent other insects from attacking
oranges," she said.
Earlier
during the opening of the training in the Hai District, Hai District
Commissioner (DC) Mr. Lazaro Twange praised TARI for putting efforts into capacity
building for agricultural experts and lead farmers in various parts of the
country, including Hai. This initiative is part of implementing the
government's goals to improve the agricultural sector.
Then
again, Muheza District Executive Director Dr. Juma Mhina said the project has
come at the right time and for the right people, referring to fruits as the
major source of income for many farmers. He noted that, apart from being
important to the district's economy, fruit production has been facing pest challenges
for a while, and he believes the project will be a solution to such challenges
and propel the economic growth of individual residents, in the district, and
the nation as well.