Kenya: Maize disease threatens food security

NAIROBI [Acted News] – Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) - a relatively new viral crop disease in Kenya, which is spread by insects, has the potential to limit Kenyan maize production, a staple food in the country. MLN has already reduced this year’s maize production by 60% in some parts of South, Central, and Eastern Kenya. According to a study carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in July, at least 16,000 hectares of maize cropping land had already been destroyed. This prompted the governement to organise a taskforce of scientists in mid-September in order to set about mitigating the effects of the disease. The Regional Food Security and Nutrition Working Group has also recommended enforcement of quarantine procedures as a short term strategy to reduce the impact of the disease.