By Monica Nashon
More than 200 youth farmers from Kisii County and Nyamira County have been trained on how to control pertiamites, a fast-spreading pest threatening avocado farming and reducing yields in the region.
The training, organized through a partnership between Cliphon and Tupande Master Feed Foundation, brought together young farmers to build capacity in pest management and the avocado value chain.
The initiative is supported by the county governments of Kisii and Nyamira.
Officials said the program aims to equip farmers with skills to identify and control pertiamites, which attack avocado leaves and drain essential nutrients, weakening the plant and significantly lowering production.
Kisii County Deputy Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Nicholous Manisa, said multiple stakeholders had joined the initiative to support farmers.
“The main objective of the program is to educate young farmers on the pest and equip them with practical knowledge on how to manage it to improve avocado production,” he said.
He noted that key partners include the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service and the Agriculture and Food Authority, which are responsible for plant health, pest control, and regulation of agricultural inputs.
Each ward in the two counties selected two youth representatives to take part in the training, ensuring wider knowledge transfer at the grassroots level.
Nyamira County Director of Agriculture, Vincent Morara, said the pest has been spreading rapidly, causing significant damage to avocado crops.
“We are also supporting farmers by providing seedlings to boost avocado farming,” he said, revealing plans to distribute more than 10,000 avocado seedlings this year to increase production and farmers’ incomes.
Morara emphasized that avocado farming remains a lucrative venture with a ready market and strong potential to improve livelihoods.
Farmers welcomed the initiative, with Nyamira-based farmer Jane Kerubo saying the training would help boost productivity.
“This workshop will help us understand how to manage the pest and increase production,” she said, noting the growing importance of avocado farming as a reliable source of income.