Lethal Maize disease wipes out farmlands, reducing harvest #kenya

MAIZE production in Rift Valley is projected to drop by 20
percent due to effects of the Maize Lethal Necrotic disease.
The disease has destroyed more than 15,000 acres of maize
farms in three counties in the North Rift, raising fears of
reduced harvests this year.
The government has deployed a team of experts from the
agriculture ministry to help farmers control the spread of the
disease.
Worst affected is Elgeyo Marakwet, where farmeres are
counting losses running into more than sh 100 million.
Agriculture executive Stella Rono visited the affected areas
yesterday to assess the situation.
Rono says they will work with the experts to educate
farmers on control measures.
"Coupled with other challenges, we expect a drop in
production of about 20 percent," Rono told the Star.
Rift Valley produces more than 20 million bags of maize
annually but the harvest this season will decline.
More than 7,000 acres of maize have been destroyed by the
disease in Kerio Valley, causing heavy losses to more than
2,000 farmers.
In Nandi more than 1,500 acres have been damaged.
The farmers have been advised to uproot and burn the crops
so that the disease does not recur again.