Milima Kenya Coffee Policy on Crop Protection

The project aims at effective control of pest and diseases at low cost and minimal side effect to the environment.

Milima Kenya Coffee project strongly promotes the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods, and use of resistant varieties coupled with overall cultural practices that will enable the farmers achieve the objective of minimum use of chemicals.

Coffee plantations in Kenya : Crop Protection

Procedures

The main coffee pest and diseases in this area are CBD and Leaf Trust, Green Scale and Leaf Miner.
Identification of symptoms of the major coffee diseases in the region is done with assistance from the factory manager and other project staff.
The responsibility of carrying out effective pest and disease control is the farmer.
The use of CPP must be as much as possible be in line with the control measures as recommended by the CRF.
Use of predators for control instead of pesticides is highly recommended than actual use of CPP.
The use of personal protective clothing is a requirement and every farmer must strive to acquire a pair while handling chemicals.

Image 1: Coffee berry disease

Image 2: Leaf rust

Image 3: Green scales

Image 4: Leaf miner.

Work Instructions

Coffee pest and diseases ate area and season specific.
CPP aims at either providing control or treatment to the identified pest or disease , not the two at once.
CRF technical circulars and other relevant reference books form the main reference books.
All cases/information that may require the farmers to apply a CPP must be documented and signed by the cooperative society management.
The use of IPM must be advised by agricultural officer.
The main cultural practices for coffee in this area are weeding, nutrition, mulching, pruning, soil conservation disease, and pest control.
No use of CPP is accepted without any justification.
Where a Milima Kenya Coffee farmer has to keep his own CPP, he will be required to put up a CPP store with suitable specification.

Records kept

Field work or book.
Bin cards.
Calibration records.
Store records.

Responsibilities allocation

Factory manager.
Clerk.
Farmer.

Milima Kenya Coffee