Kenyan farmers turn to integrated pest management as pesticide use surges
After chemical sprays failed to stop the false codling moth, Makueni County farmer Phyllis Nduva adopted trap-and-sanitation methods now spreading amid Kenya's rising pesticide toll.
What to know
- A Kenyan farmer's shift from chemical pesticides to integrated pest management (traps, sanitation, selective spraying) followed repeated crop losses to the invasive false codling moth.
- Kenya's pesticide imports rose from 6,400 tonnes in 2015 to over 15,600 tonnes in 2019, with farmers spending an estimated $70m annually; about 63% of pesticides used are classified as highly hazardous and 44% contain ingredients banned in the EU.
- Recent studies (2024-2026) link rising pesticide use to water contamination around Lake Naivasha and to climate-driven increases in pest pressure on smallholder crops.
“Before, we would just leave the damaged fruits on the farm. This caused the pests to continue multiplying. Now we are controlling pests in a way that protects both the crop and the environment.”
Phyllis Nduva, Kenyan fruit farmer · The Guardian ↗ · Sep 12
Phyllis Nduva Mango and citrus farmer, Makueni County, Kenya
How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Reader highlights Nduva's 'moral decision' quote on Mastodon
A Mastodon user reposted the article's central quote from Nduva about the ethical dimension of abandoning pesticides, tagging it with farming and environment hashtags.
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"The shift from chemical pesticides to [Integrated Pest Management] was not just an agricultural decision; it was a moral one. I realised that what I was doing was harming the environment, exposing my family and consumers to chemicals and contributing to climate change" # Pesticides # IPM # Farming # Environment ‘Spraying should be the last…
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Guardian's account shares the story on social media
The Guardian's Bluesky account posted the article, drawing dozens of engagements as the piece circulated online.
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Guardian publishes feature on farmers' shift away from pesticides
The Guardian details Nduva's adoption of nocturnal solar traps and augmentorium bags alongside national data showing pesticide imports rose from 6,400 tonnes in 2015 to over 15,600 tonnes in 2019, with 63% classified as highly hazardous.
“The shift from chemical pesticides to IPM was not just an agricultural decision; it was a moral one.”
— Phyllis Nduva -
background
Studies document rising pesticide contamination in Kenya — A 2024 Nature Sustainability study and a 2025 study detecting 56 pesticides in water around Lake Naivasha document the ecological toll of Kenya's rising pesticide use, alongside a 2026 study linking climate change to greater pest pressure and pesticide reliance among smallholders.
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UK government review finds IPM cuts pesticide use effectively — A 2020 British government review concluded integrated pest management could reduce pesticide use while controlling pests and diseases, lowering farmer costs and benefiting biodiversity.
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Nduva loses over 60% of harvest despite heavy spraying — Frequent chemical pesticide use failed to control the infestation, driving Nduva to seek alternatives and investigate integrated pest management.
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Moth infestation reaches Phyllis Nduva's Makueni orchard — The false codling moth turned up on Nduva's 8-hectare mango and citrus farm in Wote, Makueni County, with no established local guidance on containing it.
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False codling moth is first spotted in Kenya — The pest, which had already devastated crops in South Africa, was detected in Kenya after years of causing damage further south.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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4 outlets ‘Spraying should be the last option’: how farmers are exploring alternatives to pesticides
first by Mastodon, 10d ago · also Guardian Environment, Guardian Africa, The Guardian