Biological pest control solutions provider pointing African farmers to safer food production methods

By Zablon Oyugi

Dudutech, Africa’s leader in designing and delivering biological pest control solutions also known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), is pointing farmers to safer and natural solutions in managing some of the dangerous pests and diseases affecting farmers in the continent and beyond.

In this, the Kenyan-based company is placing the continent at the global map in biological pest control development and coping with the emerging consumer needs in the local and export markets.

″The current increased need for sustainable crop production and demand for healthy food by consumers around the world requires new innovations to ensure that agricultural produce especially for export, be it flowers, fruits or vegetables, are in the best possible conditions,″ said Cory Smit, Dudutech Consulting Marketing Manager

Therefore, we are basically championing for alternative methods of controlling pests and diseases on crops, he added.

To meet farmers’ expectations, the company is unearthing some of the latest technology used all over the world bringing them to Africa to help in improving and sustaining crop productions.

″Our organic nutrient products, for example, are designed in such a way that they help host plant build its resistance in part over time through nutrition and also help improve soil biodiversity to assist in fighting pathogens,″ said Livingstone Chepukel, Senior Technical Lead at Dudutech.

SIRIUS which is a plant nutrient containing a unique form of bio available silicon, is one such products.

Since it is soluble in water, Livingstone explains that it can easily be applied as a foliar spray or as a spray on the soil surface where it is absorbed by plant leaves and roots allowing the silicon to be transported around the plant in the xylem.

Upon reaching plant tissues, silicon is deposited in the walls of epidermal cells, just beneath the cuticle causing a double layer of cuticle giving toughness to the plant tissues.

It also increases the leaf hairs present on the leaf surface, deterring pests from grazing and it is best for a wide range of crops including flowers, vegetables, fruit and cereals.

Since its entry into the local market in 2001 the company has been providing biological solutions against some of the most destructive pests such as thrips, aphids, nematodes, mites, mealybug, slugs and snail and white flies among others.

The company is now breeding, growing and selling different bio-control agents, ranging from Phytotech (Phytoseilus persimilis) amblyseius californicus for control of spider, Lecatech, a fungus that kills whiteflies and aphids to Nematech S against thrips among others.

The approach now helps local farmers catch up with the world since this comes at a time the European Union (EU) is planning to reduce chemicals used in agriculture by 50 per cent and increase share of organic farming by 25 per cent up from the current eight per cent by 2030.

″EU which is the export destination for most of our horticultural produce including flowers, vegetable and fruits, has over the years increasingly banned or limited the use of chemical pesticides.