Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya

Transcription

1 13 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya GENERAL INFORMATION Implementing Institution: Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa Head: James Nguo (Regional Director) Details of Institution: Address: Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, P. O. Box G.P.O. Nairobi, Kenya Tel.: (+254) Fax: (+254) Website: Implementation Period: May 2005 to December 2006 Costs: Funding of approximately $21,700 was provided by the Pesticide Action Network Germany and Bread for the World. 167

2 168 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT S U M M A R Y This case study describes a one-year pilot project in which farmers in Kenya were provided with access to information on the control and management of pests and diseases by non-chemical methods, this information being accessed via information and communication technology (ICT). The aim of the project was to raise awareness of inexpensive, safe and environmentally sound alternatives to commercially available chemical pesticides in order to increase food production at the household level. The project, initiated in 2005, was implemented by a partnership that involved international agencies, regional networks, government departments, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations and farmer groups. More specifically, the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, a network of community development workers, formed a partnership with Pesticide Action Network Germany (PAN Germany), Participatory Ecological Land Use Management-Kenya, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mwingi District and the Kyuso farming community. Together these partners have piloted and prepared large-scale access to an online database of pest-control information among smallholder farmers and agricultural training and extension networks in Africa. As part of the pilot project, a resource centre for farmers, or information supermarket, was established at Kyuso, Kenya. From this centre, farmers could access the Online Information Service for Non-chemical Pest Management in the Tropics (OISAT Info) and other information resources on CD-ROM and the Internet using general packet radio service (GPRS) technology. To enhance the widespread sharing of local knowledge and agricultural practices, the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa also installed Open Knowledge Network software, an offline communication channel. The project is highly valued by the local farming community, agricultural extension workers, teachers and students from neighbouring educational institutions, and local leaders who have been able to access appropriate, practical and up-to-date information resources. Local farmers now control and manage pests more inexpensively, thus reducing production costs. In addition, capacity relating to the use of appropriate ICTs and communication skills has increased among farmers and extension teams. B A C K G R O U N D A N D J U S T I F I C AT I O N While crop protection is an agricultural necessity, chemical pesticides have been reported to have negative effects on the environment and on human health. These include reducing biodiversity by harming or killing non-target organisms that have an important ecological role to play, e.g., honey bees, other pollinators and natural predators of pests. Pesticides may also pollute water resources and destabilize aquatic ecosystems, e.g., by poisoning fish and

3 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 169 other wildlife. Some of the chemicals used as pesticides are toxic in humans and improper handling or accidental exposure can lead to abortion in pregnant women, illness or death. Pesticide residues in food and drinking water may also have longterm effects on human health. Increasing awareness about the potentially harmful effects of chemical pesticides has led to a growing demand from the farming community, NGOs and governments for information on affordable and sustainable approaches to ecological pest management and non-chemical crop protection. Such techniques are designed to minimize secondary effects on the environment, water resources and human health. Many small farmers in Africa, however, are unaware that such methods exist and have little or no access to reliable sources of information that can be adapted to their own requirements. This project has addressed the challenges faced by small-scale farmers in Kenya in achieving increased food production in a sustainable manner while conserving natural resources. Efforts have also been made to bridge the digital divide or lack of access to ICTs in terms of community access to agricultural information resources. The Online Information Service for Non-chemical Pest Management in the Tropics (OISAT Info, is an online service that offers information on non-chemical methods of pest control in the tropics. It was developed and launched in 2004 by the Pesticide Action Network Germany (PAN Germany), an international organization that aims to reduce the use of hazardous chemical pesticides worldwide and to promote sustainable alternatives. OISAT Info targets trainers, extension workers and farmers and offers practical information on how to minimize damage caused by pests in safe, affordable, effective and ecologically sound ways. The main aim is to increase food production at the household level while reducing the use of synthetic chemical pesticides that may be expensive as well as potentially hazardous to human health, water resources and the environment. The alternative and sustainable pest-control methods proposed by OISAT Info use readily available indigenous plants and inexpensive ingredients. For the initiative described in this case study, the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa a network of community development workers from government departments and nongovernmental and community-based organizations with an interest in the drylands of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania formed a partnership with PAN Germany, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management-Kenya, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mwingi District and the Kyuso farming community. The overall purpose of the project is to prepare the large-scale dissemination of OISAT Info among smallholder farmers and to establish agricultural training and extension networks in developing countries. The one-year pilot project, From Web to

4 170 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT field to Web, started in Kyuso, Kenya, in May Kyuso division is situated in Mwingi District in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Located about 60 kilometres from Mwingi town, Kyuso is in a semi-arid region and is generally hilly, with many rocky outcrops and plenty of indigenous shrubs and vegetation. The predominantly Akamba community grows crops and farms livestock. Common crops include cotton, cowpeas, green grams, maize and fruit trees, such as mangoes, passion fruit and pawpaws. Farmers in this area face the challenge of achieving increases in food production in a cost-effective manner while conserving the natural resource base. One of the major problems described by farmers is the control and management of pests and diseases that cause crop damage. While farmers in Kyuso are innovative and exploit indigenous and traditional knowledge, such practices, e.g., controlling termites using wood ash or aphids using chilli peppers, are slowly dying out because of the introduction of chemical pesticides. Although the division lacks adequate extension staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and NGOs or an information referral point for farmers who do not have access to general information on crop-production and crop-protection systems, there is a strong network of established farmer field schools. D E S C R I P T I O N The main steps involved in this pilot project were: creating awareness about the OISAT Info initiative among agricultural stakeholders and developing institutional and farming-community partnerships; fund-raising by partner institutions; and project implementation, which involved the identification of farmers to participate in the programme; the creation of a farmers resource centre equipped with appropriate ICTs; capacity-building for farmers in ICTs; identification of local pests; experimentation and validation of pest-control methods; and the establishment of farmer forums for experience-sharing, documentation of local knowledge, etc. O I S AT I N F O OISAT Info is a web-based practical guide for trainers, extension workers and farmers that provides information on how to minimize pest damage in safer, more affordable, effective and ecologically sound ways. The website ( has advice on how to lower the cost of production by adopting the recommended preventative and curative methods of control for pests, diseases and weeds and reducing the use of synthetic pesticides. Information is provided on how to combat pests on common crops such as cowpeas, green gram, maize, mango

5 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 171 seedlings and pigeon peas. Such pests include aphids, apion beetles, stalk borers, termites, whiteflies and white grubs. The methods recommended include the use of plants or ingredients that are available locally, e.g., the neem tree, chillies, finger euphorbia, pawpaw, custard apple, onions and wood ash. The structure of the website is based on the cropping seasons of major crops of the area, indicating key pests for each growth stage and plant part. The information is presented in the form of tables, photographs and clear advice (fig. 1) Figure 1 Extract from information available on OISAT Info on the use of neem in pest control. Neem Common names: neem, margosa tree Scientific name: Azadirachta indica Family: Meliaceae Plant parts used Leaves and seeds Mode of action Repellent, insecticidal, antibacterial, antifungal, antifeedant, oviposition and growth inhibiting, and crop and grain protectant (Prakash; Rao, 1997: pp ) Photo by Manuel Parami Formulations Materials Methods of preparation How to use Target pests Neem leaf extract (Sridhar; Vijayalakshmi, 2002: pp ) 1-2 kg of neem leaves Mortar and pestle Used cotton cloth Pot Soap Strainer String kg of neem leaves are needed for 0.4 ha Pound neem leaves gently. Place in a pot. Add 2-4 liters of water. Cover the mouth of the pot securely with the cloth and leave it as such for 3 days. Strain to get clear extract. Dilute 1 liter of neem leaf extract with 9 liters of water. Add 100 ml of soap. Stir well. Spray on the infested plants. Aphids, Colorado beetles, grasshoppers, grubs, Japanese beetles, leafhoppers, locusts, planthoppers, scale insects, snails, thrips, weevils, whiteflies Source:

6 172 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT together with a glossary of technical terms. Situation-specific information can be downloaded and compiled into training materials, which can also be translated into local languages for an effective transfer of the information to farmers. The OISAT Info database has been developed in consultation with a group of international experts. I D E N T I F I C AT I O N O F FA R M E R PA R T I C I PA N T S As a starting point, seven farmers (five women and two men) were identified and invited to participate as focal-point farmers. They were chosen using criteria that included innovativeness, diversity of crops grown, literacy level and willingness to apply OISAT Info information and to train and share experiences with other community farmers, thus enhancing the widespread diffusion of information. Their use of OISAT Info was subsequently closely monitored by extension staff. I N F O R M AT I O N S U P E R M A R K E T A resource centre for farmers, commonly referred to as the Kyuso Community Information Supermarket (fig. 2), was established at the divisional offices of the Ministry of Agriculture in Kyuso in August The Supermarket was equipped with appropriate ICTs, including a computer, CD-ROMs concerning OISAT Info and relating to various development technologies and experiences, Figure 2 The Kyuso Community Information Supermarket, the farmers resource centre established by Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa.

7 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 173 three compendia (on forestry, crop protection and animal health), WorldSpace (a digital satellite radio network that covers most of Asia and parts of Africa) and an adapter card (a modem used to connect a radio to a computer printer and a mobile phone). The centre is powered by solar energy and communities are able to access the Internet using general packet radio service (GPRS) technology. GPRS is a wireless application that enables data transmission using a mobile telephone network. A local farmer trained in information technology skills is employed as an assistant at the resource centre (fig. 3). His role is to train other farmers on the use of ICTs and to help download information, repackage OISAT Info into the local language and disseminate this information. The Ministry of Agriculture crops extension officer, also the coordinator of the farmer field schools, offers technical support to the seven focal-point farmers and other community farmers with an interest in pest management using techniques acquired from OISAT Info (fig. 4). A monitoring user-profile logbook for farmers is kept at the centre for feedback purposes. Visitors record their names, date, gender, profession, type of information requested and intended use. The record makes it easy for any followup to be pursued. During the farmer knowledge-sharing forums, additional farmers are invited to join the focal-point farmers and share their experiences to enrich the outcomes of the forums. As of February 2006, the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa had attached a trained community information volunteer to the centre to help to document local knowledge and disseminate development information widely via the Open Knowledge Network. The Open Knowledge Network is an offline communication channel that offers an excellent information management system for the generation, easy retrieval and dissemination of local content to wider audiences using appropriate and Figure 3 A local farmer trained in ICTs assisting other farmers at the Kyuso Community Information Supermarket. Figure 4 An extension officer from the Ministry of Agriculture giving technical advice in the field.

8 174 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT complimentary ICTs such as the WorldSpace technology and rural radio. It uses Open enrich software that enables rural communities to organize and locate content, conduct text searches and create local folders to manage the content. The Open Knowledge Network was initiated by the Digital Opportunity Task Force set up by the Group of Eight Heads of State to contribute to the bridging of the digital divide. It aims at linking marginalized and poor people while promoting and enabling the exchange of indigenous knowledge via offline networking. I N F O R M AT I O N O P E N D AY An Information Open Day was organized for the launch of the centre (the Kyuso Community Information Supermarket) on 7 April This Open Day, attended by more than 150 farmers and representatives from other organizations, helped to raise awareness about the information resources available and the new ICTs in use at the centre. The focal-point farmers had an opportunity to exhibit and demonstrate how they access OISAT Info and use it to make various pest-control formulations. FA R M E R S K N O W L E D G E - S H A R I N G F O R U M S To ensure that the focal-point farmers shared their experiences and knowledge with community farmers, leaders, extension team members and teachers, regular farmer forums were organized. The first forum, which focused on the seven focalpoint farmers and the extension team, introduced the pilot project, project expectations and the validation process for OISAT Info. During this forum, farmers acknowledged that they lacked appropriate information on pest-control methods. In most cases, the farmers used chemicals or products derived from indigenous and traditional knowledge and for which they were not sure about mixture rates, preparation methods or the effects of residues. Thus the arrival of OISAT Info was timely. The second and third forums focused on sharing OISAT Info as applied by the farmers as well as the farmers personal experiences as to which methods had worked or failed and on which crops. During these forums, the farmers were able to share some of the indigenous alternative control methods that they used. These were then documented and feedback was given to PAN Germany for inclusion on its website. WORKSHOP ON PEST IDENTIFICATION As part of the capacity-development efforts for farmers and the extension team, a workshop on pest identification was organized during which farmers and members of the extension team shared various experiences and went out into the field to identify some of the pests encountered locally. Using a magnifying lens, some of the smallest pests were identified and discussions were held on the best methods to control them. I C T W O R K S H O P A workshop on ICT was conducted to acquaint the farmers, extension staff and

9 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 175 team members of the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa with new technologies for accessing information. During the workshop, the 25 participants were shown how to operate a computer, they were taught how to access information using CD-ROMs, and they performed an information-mapping exercise to understand and learn about local information access and communication systems within a remote set-up. This exercise provided a benchmark for future assessment of the use of ICTs as tools in the context of community access to information. O P E N K N O W L E D G E N E T W O R K T R A I N I N G As a way to improve the integration of indigenous knowledge into the documentation, the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa incorporated a training component on using the Open Knowledge Network and installed the appropriate software and equipment. The training workshop was attended by 27 participants, including farmers, members of the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, extension staff and local leaders (fig. 5). The Network members formed the Kyuso Focal Group and elected a coordinating committee to oversee networking activities. The community information volunteer appointed by the Network to work at the Information Supermarket documents and shares the Open Knowledge Network content with the assistance of farmers and the extension team. Figure 5 A training workshop on the use of WorldSpace radio and the Open Knowledge Network to access development information. F I E L D VA L I D AT I O N B Y FA R M E R S Most of the district experienced a severe and prolonged drought when the rains failed during November and December 2005 and from April to May This led to crop failure. Despite the drought, the farmers were enthusiastic and undertook some field validation of OISAT Info. The field-validation protocol involved the focal-point farmers dedicating a portion of their farm to the validation of OISAT Info. The land used was located such that other standard practices, e.g., spraying with pesticides, did not affect the field-validation plot. In addition, the management practices used on the plots were similar to those used on the whole farm. For example, if the farmer was intercropping maize and beans, then this intercropping system was used on the field-validation plot and on the rest of the field. Extension workers then advised the focal-point farmers on suitable and available pest-management practices derived from OISAT Info. Observations and data

10 176 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT collection were made at the same time on the field-validation plot and the main field. Some of the parameters on the checklist included the occurrence of pests, efficacy of the treatment, yields, availability of raw materials, ease of application, side effects and the possibility of scaling up the control method. E X P E R I E N C E S O F T H E F O C A L - P O I N T FA R M E R S Maureen Mueni, whose farm is situated at Kimangao village, about 15 kilometres from Kyuso town, set aside a plot measuring 75 metres by 75 metres and planted maize and cowpeas, among other crops. Stalk borers in the maize crop were eliminated within a few days by placing sieved ash in funnels on the affected crops. Grace Ndeti planted one kilogramme of cowpea seeds on her farm. The young plants were attacked by whiteflies, apion beetles and aphids. Various formulations recommended by OISAT Info were only partially effective, so she decided to try some indigenous knowledge provided by neighbours, which involved spraying with an infusion of onions. The apion beetles disappeared completely and 21 kilogrammes of cowpeas were harvested. Once a formulation had been shown to work on the OISAT Info plot, Ndeti extended the application to the whole farm. She plans to continue using OISAT Info in the future since it is economical. Julius Mwonga assisted a neighbour to apply OISAT Info information after his cowpea crops had been attacked by aphids and severely by apion beetles. Mwonga showed his neighbour how to prepare and apply the recommended formulation. After spraying with an aqueous extract of neem-tree leaves, the aphids completely disappeared but a few apion beetles persisted. The crop, which was in the podding stage, was resprayed with the same formulation but at twice the concentration. After two days, the apion beetles disappeared completely, prompting the farmer to apply the spray across the whole farm. Maluki Muneeni s farm is situated about four kilometres from Kyuso market. He used sticky traps, a technique learned during an Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa workshop, to check for pests and soon identified apion beetles and aphids (fig. 6). He then prepared and sprayed the neem formulation. The number of aphids was reduced after four days but the apion beetles persisted. This prompted him to apply the formulation one week later and the aphids were eradicated and a reduction in apion beetles was Figure 6 Sticky traps used to catch pests for identification.

11 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 177 noted. Mango trees in Muneeni s orchard were attacked by powdery mildew, so he prepared an extract of papaya leaves that he sprayed four times. His efforts were successful since one eight-year-old mango tree that had never yielded any fruit is now cropping well. Agnes Mughi is also an adult educator and a farmer innovator. She is a role model and an influential person in her village, which lies about eight kilometres from Kyuso market. She practises mixed farming and has many different fruit trees, including pawpaws and mangoes. Since she started applying OISAT Info information on her farm, she claims that her yields have increased tremendously. She has used a formulation of neem, for example, to control the pod borer in her beans; aphids, leaf miners and thrips on her cowpeas and pigeon peas; and locusts on her maize. The stalk borer also attacked the leaves of her maize crop, which she then treated effectively with wood ash and pepper. P AT E N T I N G A N D C O M M E R C I A L I Z AT I O N In order to sustain the project, the community has elected a focal-group committee that coordinates the activities of the farmers Information Supermarket. This resource centre charges for typing services and the charging of mobile phones and offers training in ICT skills for young people, for a fee. The committee is exploring other activities for generating income. The National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme has allocated a small budget for equipment maintenance. P A R T N E R S H I P S This pilot project was an initiative of PAN Germany as part of a concept, for the medium term, of extending and studying success factors governing the introduction of OISAT Info for agricultural training, extension services and networks. The lead implementation organization in Kenya was Participatory Ecological Land Use Management- Kenya. The five other implementing organizations were the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (in Mwingi District), the Sustainable Agriculture Community Development Programme-Kenya (in Muranga District), the Kenya Institute of Organic Farming (in Maragua District) and the Sustainable Agriculture Centre for Research and Development in Africa (in Bungoma District). Bread for the World funded about 80 per cent of the pilot activities and PAN Germany funded 20 per cent of them. R E P L I C A B I L I T Y This project could easily be replicated in other areas where small-scale farmers are lacking appropriate pest-control informa-

12 178 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT tion, especially those East African countries covered by the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa. The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, is planning to scale up efforts to initiate similar projects in other regions of Kenya. Many agricultural organizations have requested the OISAT Info CD-ROM and are using the information for training students and farmers in alternative methods of pest control. Some institutions such as the Manor House Agricultural Centre (Kenya) have developed plans to set up similar information centres. The Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa continues to share experiences among its membership in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. P O L I C Y I M P L I C AT I O N S The Arid Lands Information Network- East Africa chose to work with the Ministry of Agriculture in order to keep it up to date regarding new advances in pest control and management. The Ministry was fully represented, from extension officers to the district level. During the final workshop organized by PAN Germany, two senior representatives from the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme and the Ministry were invited to participate. It is anticipated that the officials will play a crucial role in policy issues on pest management. I M P A C T The impact of the project in the community has been felt in many ways. S U CC E S S O F T H E R E S O U R C E C E N T R E Since its establishment, more than 1,350 people have visited the Kyuso Community Information Supermarket, including farmers, teachers, students and extension staff who have accessed information on various development issues. The resource centre is most popular with farmers seeking information on how to improve their agricultural production systems and it is particularly busy during the rainy season. The centre has grown beyond offering only OISAT Info, providing information on other appropriate and practical technologies for development downloaded from different CD-ROMs provided by the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, the Knowledge Centre for Small- Scale Sustainable Agriculture, the Netherlands and other sources. Among the many visitors to the centre have been 60 students and four tutors from the polytechnic college at Kyuso, who obtained information on controlling aphids, whiteflies and grasshoppers on kale and tomatoes. Other visitors include members of the

13 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 179 Kyuso fruit growers self-help group and representatives of the Kakongoo farmer field schools. There has also been contact with local schools. For example, information on haymaking and how to make blackstone and soap using local materials was downloaded by a teacher from the CD-ROM version of the journal Baobab, published by the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa. This information enabled student members of the science club at Kyuso Boys Secondary School to prepare exhibits that won first prize at a science congress for district schools. Information from the centre has also been spread via the media. The Kyuso Open Day and launch of the Information Supermarket were covered by the Standard, one of the leading daily newspapers in Kenya; more than 20 CD-ROMs have been disseminated regionally upon request; and local communities have composed traditional songs on pest management. In collaboration with the Agricultural Information Centre, a department of the Ministry of Agriculture with the primary role of providing agricultural information through the mass media to farmers, extension staff and other interested parties, the fourth Kyuso farmers forum was featured on the national radio station, KBC, on the programme Sikio La Mkulima ( The Farmer s Ear ). This programme helped to spread OISAT Info news nationally to many farmers who listen to obtain farming tips. There has been overwhelming feedback from local communities and the number of visitors seeking information from the centre has increased. I M P R O V E D N E T W O R K I N G A N D S TA F F C A PA C I T Y At the network level, implementation of OISAT Info was another opportunity to research and disseminate information using appropriate technologies that enhance community development. The network continues to share experiences from the pilot project with its regional membership. The capacity of the staff implementing the project in areas such as pest management and the use of ICTs to access updated development information has increased tremendously. The interaction with farmers and the process of documenting their experiences using alternatives to chemical pesticides and introducing them to ICTs were an enriching experience for network and Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa staff, who became better informed on issues such as pest identification and local farmers knowledge. Staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and other workers in Kyuso have also learned ICT skills and are more knowledgeable on pestcontrol alternatives. I N C R E A S E D C A PA C I T Y O F FA R M E R S The capacity of 12 farmers to access and download information using ICTs has been increased. According to the Information Supermarket assistant appointed by the

14 180 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, the farmers regularly use the computer and their skills are improving with time. As expressed by Agnes Mughi, who teaches adult classes and was a focal-point farmer on the project: When I first saw the computer at the Kyuso Community Information Supermarket, I was amazed at what it was. At first I didn t want to touch it. However, with encouragement, I was able to learn how it operates. Following a period of two months spent learning ICT skills, I m now able to type up my reports and send them to my supervisor within the department of adult education at Mwingi. I can also access information from CD-ROMs, print and use it at my home. I m now encouraging and training other farmers to learn ICT skills. The capacity of the farmers to manage pests has increased following the introduction of OISAT Info. Farmers are able to make the preparations confidently and share their experiences widely through organized forums. During the farmers knowledge-sharing forums, farmers also shared their indigenous knowledge and this has created a pool of valuable local knowledge that contributes to farmers' livelihoods. Farmers now spend less money on farm inputs and thus save money for other purposes, which is also useful should crop failures occur. Since August 2006, the project has incorporated the Open Knowledge Network system to strengthen the local sharing of information on diverse development issues among farmers in Kyuso and other regions. This has strengthened the OISAT Info initiatives and encouraged local communities to contribute and share local knowledge more quickly and freely. Since the end of the pilot project, farmers have continuously and successfully used the available information to control pests. In addition, the ICT component enables farmers to obtain much more information on other development issues, such as health and scholarship opportunities. In early 2007, two farmers were invited to participate at a high-level exhibition, the Nairobi ICT Expo, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications. During this event, the farmers confidently articulated their prowess in using ICTs for improved pest management. Many groups, including one from Laikipia District, visited Kyuso to learn pest management from the farmers during an exchange visit organized in August L E S S O N S L E A R N E D As part of the use of appropriate ICT technologies, the centre has GPRS equipment for accessing the Internet directly using the Safaricom network (Safaricom is a leading telecommunications company operating in Kenya). However, network fluctuations have minimized direct access of OISAT Info from the Internet; full

15 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 181 network connectivity is available only at a distance of 60 kilometres from Kyuso. Other practical issues include the need for training in maintenance practices after solar power was installed and the need for a photocopier to reduce printer maintenance costs. In the rural area around Kyuso, the communications infrastructure is very poor. This reduces access to the Information Supermarket for farmers who live at a distance. The use of a language that is culturally appropriate was critical to the successful implementation of the project. The employment of a local farmer who was trained in ICT skills was advantageous in that people were able to obtain information translated by a member of their own community. The time frame for the pilot project was quite short, especially given that the project started in the middle of a growing season. This necessitated the extension of the pilot phase. Even so, several farmers were frustrated as they could not apply OISAT Info information over a complete cropping cycle. Some farmers lacked access to the raw materials for making appropriate formulations for controlling pests. For example, some farmers did not have aloe or neem trees on their farms and had to borrow ingredients from neighbours. To overcome this, farmers are being encouraged to plant trees and shrubs with the required properties on their own farms. Management of crop pests by farmers needs to be planned from planting time, especially when considering the use of preventive measures. Farmers need to understand the common pests and the crop stage that they attack and apply timely curative measures. Seeking immediate results, some farmers did not wait for the pest-control preparations to mature as stated in the recommendations but applied them prematurely, which meant that they were ineffective. For some pests identified by the local farmers, there is no known means of control. A good example is a beetle called ngetani in the local language, which is destructive to mangoes and other crops such as cassava since it cuts through the stem of the plant. Farmers have also identified the need for more information on storage pests. The Kyuso Community Information Supermarket is serving a wide community, not just farmers but also extension staff, teachers, local leaders and students, whose information requirements are quite varied. Incorporation of OISAT Info into schools offers an opportunity for young farmers to learn systems of pest management at an early stage and this knowledge can be transferred to their parents at home. Choosing focal-point farmers who play other roles in society enabled the more rapid flow and diffusion of information from farmer to farmer in the villages.

16 182 VOLUME 17: EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The successful implementation of the pilot project was the result of good team spirit and solid partnerships between the implementing organizations, the involvement of farmers from the initial planning stage, and the interest shown by the farming community in trying new ideas. Indeed, the project fitted well within the established farmer field schools. F U T U R E P L A N S The Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa and the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme intend to equip the Information Supermarket, now known as the Kyuso Community Knowledge Centre, with more ICT equipment in response to increased demand for services and training in ICT skills. The project will focus on documentation of the more innovative pestmanagement practices by farmers and provide feedback for inclusion in OISAT Info. For example, there is a need for more research on emerging local pests such as ngetani so as to acquire and disseminate appropriate information on how they may be controlled. A farmers committee is in place and will begin to involve more farmers in the management of the Information Supermarket in order to foster sustainability and to acquire additional appropriate information resources from other sources and partners. The Kyuso experience is being scaled up to include more farmers in the district; notice boards are being placed at strategic market places and more demonstrations are being given at different farmer field schools. Project staff from the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa and the Ministry of Agriculture offer technical support to farmers in other districts with an interest in setting up similar information supermarkets. The National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme has planned to set up five such sites in different districts. In the future, more schools, both local and regional, will be involved in the project to establish young farmers clubs to use the information available at the supermarket as a learning tool. The Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa uses the journal Baobab and the Open Knowledge Network platform to reach other members in different countries. As a result, it responds to information requests from Ethiopia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania by sending CD-ROMs or specific information. Overall, the Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa, PAN Germany and the Kyuso community are realizing the project goal of the large-scale dissemination of OISAT Info. P U B L I C A T I O N S Amollo, Diana and Lusaka, Noah, OISAT Info at the NAIROBI ICT Expo 07 (a report available at: at_documents).

17 Disseminating Information on Alternative Methods of Pest Management Kenya 183 Information for non-chemical pest management in Africa, Baobab, no. 41, August OISAT: Pilot project takes off in Kenya, Baobab, no. 43, April Termite control without chemicals, Baobab, no. 43, April NB: Relevant articles in Baobab, no. 43, were also circulated within the Open Knowledge Network framework ( /eNRICH). OISAT Info the Kyuso farmers experiences, an eight-page pullout published in Baobab, no. 46 (available at: Project Participants: Antony Kavisi, divisional crops extension worker, Kyuso. Nasser Wekesa, divisional agricultural officer, Kyuso. Maryleen Micheni, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management- Kenya, OISAT Info project coordinator. Gabriel Stoll, PAN Germany, OISAT Info project coordinator. Case Study Prepared by: Noah Lusaka Manager, Capacity Building and Partnerships Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa P. O. Box G.P.O. Nairobi, Kenya Tel.: (+254) Fax: (+254) James Nguo Regional Director Arid Lands Information Network-East Africa Tel.: (+254) Fax: (+254)

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