Agriculture

Mango farmers across Makueni County will reap big from a timely intervention as over 15,000 fruit fly traps, donated by the European Union, are set to be distributed to combat the destructive pest.

The consignment, received last week by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, was provided through TradeMark Africa and the East Africa Marketing Development Authority.

The traps use pheromones to lure fruit flies into a chamber lined with biopesticide, killing them instantly. Unlike heavy pesticide use that harms both people and the environment, these traps offer a safe and sustainable solution.

Speaking during the Tuesday launch at Kikumini/Muvau Ward, Agriculture CECM Elizabeth Muli noted that fruit flies have long reduced mango yields and farmer incomes.

She said the county is determined to protect farmers’ produce and boost food security.

In a joint statement, TradeMark Africa Country Director Lillian Mwai and Agriculture Chief Officer Dr. Victoria Kyalo told farmers that the fruit fly trap distribution is part of a wider pest management program designed to strengthen horticulture value chains and raise farmers’ incomes.

The traps, coming at the critical mango management season, promise healthier fruits, bigger harvests and stronger access to premium markets for farmers.

The event was attended by area MCA Elizabeth Kawembe, Agriculture Chief Officer Dr. Victoria Kyalo and EAMDA CEO Eunice Ngina among others.

Over 200 mango farmers in Nzaui/Kilili/Kalamba Ward have received timely training on mango management, coming at a crucial flowering season when pest control, proper nutrition, and orchard care determine the year’s harvest.

The Tuesday session, graced by Agriculture CECM Elizabeth Muli and CO Dr. Victoria Kyalo, equipped farmers with practical skills on flowering care, pest and disease prevention, fruit thinning and soil nutrition; essential steps to improve both the quality and quantity of mango production.

The training, also attended by sub-county administrators, agro-input suppliers, mango off-takers and value chain leaders, was anchored on three key goals: helping farmers adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), linking them with off-takers for binding contracts, and connecting them to reliable input suppliers.

So far, similar trainings have been rolled out in Kako/Waia, Masongaleni, Kikumbulyu South, Ivinza, Thange, Emali/Mulala, and Mavindini wards, with Nzakika cluster alone registering 2,080 farmers.

More sessions are planned for Kalawa, Ukia, Kaskeu, Kisau/Kiteta, and Tulimani wards in the coming weeks, ensuring wider farmer coverage ahead of the harvest season.

ELIM AGROinfo Academy, an agricultural company based in Kibwezi, Makueni County, is holding its 3rd Farmers Expo on September 10th and 11th, 2025, on a 2-acre farm at Kiboko – Makindu.

In partnership with the County Government’s Department of Agriculture, the expo targets to bring together over 1,500 farmers to learn modern ways of boosting yields through the right seeds, quality inputs and hands-on crop management demonstrations.

The expo will feature over 32 top agricultural companies offering products in seeds, crop nutrition, protection, animal health and financial services designed for farmers to adopt best practices that increase productivity.

This event will also connect farmers, businesses and experts to share knowledge, showcase innovations and create opportunities for profitable farming and agricultural growth in the county and region.

With the unpredictable climate pattern in Makueni, the 2-day expo will also serve as a vital platform equipping farmers with knowledge to make smart, effective and appropriate decisions on their farms.

The Makueni County Fruit Development and Marketing Authority has received Joseph Kioko as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Kioko formerly Managing Director of Kenya Planters Co-operative Union Ltd (KPCU) takes over from Agnes Kitili, who has been serving in an acting capacity.

In driving the authority’s mission, the new CEO is expected to transform the livelihoods of fruit farmers across Makueni by ensuring stable mango prices and reducing post-harvest losses.

The Thursday onboarding was witnessed by Elizabeth Muli, the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, who expressed confidence that the new CEO will strengthen the county’s fruit sector and boost farmers’ incomes.

The authority remains a key driver in positioning Makueni as a leader in fruit production and marketing, providing farmers with fair returns while securing the future of the county’s mango industry.

The County Department of Agriculture on Monday held a sensitization forum for extension officers on the establishment and management of Ward Agriculture Demonstration Plots.

The one-day training focused on step-by-step guidance in key value chain sectors—apiculture, mango, poultry, tomato and dairy—aimed at equipping officers to better guide farmers on improved farming practices.

Speaking during the session, CECM Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, Liz Muli, emphasized the importance of standardized procedures, clear timelines, and defined responsibilities in setting up demo plots.

“These demonstration sites will serve as practical classrooms where farmers can learn hands-on modern farming methods,” she noted.

The project will set up demonstration farms in every ward across the county, totalling 120 demos: 26 in apiculture, 22 in dairy, 24 in mango, 29 in poultry and 19 in tomato.

Funded by National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project, the initiative aims to promotes efficiency, accountability and transparency while strengthening knowledge transfer to farmers.

Once fully implemented, the program will enhance food security, create employment and economically empower farming households across the county.

Mango farmers in Makueni are facing hurdles that threaten their harvests, especially during flowering and fruiting.

Flower and fruit abortion, blights, mildews and pests such as thrips, mites, mango weevil, mealybugs and fruit flies have been major setbacks.

On Wednesday, farmers in Mavindini ward attended a training session on how to manage these challenges.

Experts from Greenlife Company guided them on using fungicides with azoxystrobin and difenconazole to control blights and mildews, while pesticides with thiomexam and labdacyalothrin were recommended to fight off pests.

Additionally, to reduce flower and fruit abortion, farmers were urged to spray foliar fertilizers rich in Zinc and Boron. They were also encouraged to adopt irrigation methods to ensure their mangoes reach the market at the right time.

The session, attended by Livestock and Cooperative Development Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza, Mavindini MCA Jonathan Kimongo, Mango exporters and financial institutions, is a timely intervention during the mango flowering season.

The sensitization is expected to boost farmer knowledge and improve mango harvests across the county.