Agriculture

Research Papers/Topics in Agriculture

Gendered analysis of the demand for poultry feed in Kenya.

Abstract: This paper uses a translog cost function approach to study the farm-level demand for poultry feed in Kenya. The study estimates the demand elasticities of the three common types of poultry feed; mixed feed, grain, and leafy vegetables. The estimated model was used to obtain estimates of Marshallian demand elasticities for poultry feed in Kenya for male-headed and female-headed households. The elasticities reported can be used by researchers and policy analysts to evaluate policy ef...

Leveraging computational intelligence to identify and map suitable sites for scaling up augmentative biological control of cereal crop pests

Abstract: Fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) is a major pest affecting cereal production in Africa. Biological control (BC) technologies are being promoted as a sustainable alternative to chemical control, which can lead to health risks and environmental hazards. However, effective deployment of these technologies requires site-specific recommendations. In this study, we use a step-by-step modelling approach to map suitable sites for BC technologies, focusing on the para...

Efficacy of Botanical Extract Formulations of Zanthroxylum usambarense and Warburgia ugandensis on Post-Harvest Management of Sitophilus zeamais in Maize

Abstract: Sitophilus zeamais causes significant losses to maize produce worldwide. The use of biodegradable and environmentally friendly botanicals as an alternative to synthetic pesticides is increasingly becoming important. Therefore, we sought to determine the use of plant extract formulations to manage S. zeamais during storage. Crude Zanthroxylum usambarense and Warburgia ugandensis stembark extracts were used for contact toxicity and repellent bioassays against S. zeamais. The formulat...

Computational Biogeographic Distribution of the Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) Moth in Eastern Africa

Abstract: The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith, has caused massive maize losses since its attack on the African continent in 2016, particularly in east Africa. In this study, we predicted the spatial distribution (established habitat) of FAW in five east African countries viz.,Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and Ethiopia. We used FAW occurrence observations for three years i.e., 2018, 2019, and 2020, the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, and bioclimatic, land surface temp...

Economic impact of a classical biological control program: application to Diachasmimorpha longicaudata against Batrocera dorsalis fruit fy in Kenya

Abstract: Classical biological control (CBC) has been exploited as a safer alternative for suppressing the oriental fruit fy, Bactrocera dorsalis, by importing, rearing, and releasing the larval parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. Although D. longicaudata has been released in Kenya through the Africa Fruit Fly Programme, the extent of its dispersal and subsequent economic benefts have not yet been established. This paper models the spatio-temporal dispersal of the parasitoid using the ...

Waste to value: Global perspective on the impact of Entomocomposting on Environmental health, Greenhouse gas Mitigation and soil Bioremediation

Abstract: The innovative use of insects to recycle low-value organic waste into value-added products such as food, feed and other products with a low ecological footprint has attracted rapid attention globally. The insect frass (a combination unconsumed substrate, faeces, and exuviae) contains substantial amounts of nutrients and beneficial microbes that could utilised as fertilizer. We analyse research trends and report on the production, nutrient quality, maturity and hygiene status of ins...

Insect pollination and pollinator supplementation enhances fruit weight, quality, and marketability of avocado (Persea americana)

Abstract: Avocado is a pollinator-dependent crop rich in fiber, monounsaturated oils, vitamins, and minerals, which is seeing an increase in global demand. While some studies have shown that insect pollination improves avocado fruit set, the effects of pollinators on fruit quality and the nutritional profile remain unclear. Furthermore, it remains untested whether a potential pollination deficit can be compensated by the supplementation of farms with extra pollinators. We quantified the cont...

Production, consumption, and market supply of edible crickets: insights from East Africa

Abstract: Globally, crickets are gaining recognition as a valuable alternative protein source for human consumption due to their lower resource requirement and ecological foot‑print compared to traditional livestock. In this paper, we examine strategies that may expedite the sustainable domestication of crickets as a food source. Using survey data from 306 households in western Kenya, we fnd that supplying cricket production starter kits, granting access to credit facilities, encouraging p...

Susceptibility of the Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera and the African Stingless Bee Meliponula ferruginea (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to the Entomopathogenic Fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauv

Abstract: This study assessed the nontarget effect of entomopathogenic fungi on the Western honey bee Apis mellifera L. and the African stingless bee Meliponula ferruginea Cockrell (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Pathogenicity of five Metarhizium anisopliae (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 69, and ICIPE 78) (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and one of Beauveria bassiana (ICIPE 284) (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordicipitaceae) isolates were evaluated on bees at 108 conidia...

A scientific note on in-hive positioning determines small hive beetle trap efficacy

Abstract: The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, a parasite of honey bees is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa and has become a global invasive pest. Adequate surveillance methods based on trapping methods need testing and verification of their efficacy. We tested the efficacy of top frame supplied cardboard traps. The efficacy was extremely low (0.9%) and significantly less effective than bottom board placed traps.

Harnessing data science to improve integrated management of invasive pest species across Africa: An application to Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract: After five years of its first report on the African continent, Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is considered a major threat to maize, sorghum, and millet production in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the rigorous work already conducted to reduce FAW prevalence, the dynamics and invasion mechanisms of FAW in Africa are still poorly understood. This study applied interdisciplinary tools, analytics, and algorithms on a FAW dataset with a spatial lens to provide ins...

Integrating plant-to-plant communication and rhizospheremicrobial dynamics: ecological and evolutionary implicationsand a call for experimental rigor

Abstract: The perception of airborne chemical signals by plants can trigger reconfigurations of their metabolism that alter their bioticinteractions. While plant-to-plant chemical communication has primarily been studied in the context of eliciting defenses toherbivores and pathogens, recent work suggests that it can also affect plants’ interactions with their rhizosphere microbiomes. Inthis perspective, we discuss the potential for integrating the fields of plant-to-plant communication an...

Economic and Ecological values of Frass Fertiliser from Black Soldier fly Agro-industrial waste processing

Abstract: The sustainable utilisation of black soldier fly (BSF) for recycling organic waste into high-quality protein feed and organic fertiliser with a low environmental footprint is gaining momentum worldwide. Although BSF farming is becoming a rapidly growing agribusiness, studies on the BSF farming’s economic aspects are limited. This study analysed the economic benefits of farming BSF for animal feeds and composted frass, called frass fertiliser (FF) production using experimental dat...

Pollen diversity and protein content indifferentially degraded semi-arid landscapes inKenya

Abstract: In Africa there is a scarcity of information on how plant species that can provide forage for honey bees vary across dif-ferentially structured landscapes, and what are the implications of such variabilities on colony integrity. This researchpresents new insights into the diversity and richness of pollen collected byApis mellifera scutellata, a subspecies of theWestern honey bee native to sub-Saharan Africa, at six study sites of different degradation levels within a semi-aridlands...

Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Quality of Three Key Vegetable Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: Worldwide, French beans (Phaseolus vulgarisL.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.), andkales (Brassica oleraceaL.var. acephala) are considered economically important foodcrops. There is a rapid decline in their yield due to severe soil degradation. Thus, highcommercial fertilizer inputs are crucial, though they remain expensive and inaccessibleto resource poor farmers. We investigated the comparative performance of compostedblack soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF), conventionallycom...


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