A million-dollar facility to identify seed varieties that can withstand the dreaded maize lethal necrosis has been established in Kenya to help stem the spread of the disease in East Africa and secure the fragile food security situation.

The research station, put up at a cost of $1.15 million, will be used to conduct studies on maize varieties from African countries and identify the best germplasm that can be multiplied by breeders and sold to farmers.

“The research facility will be at Naivasha, and we expect to start operations in September,” said Kenya Agricultural Research Institute director Ephraim Mukisira.

The five-year project is a joint venture by Kari and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), the region’s top institutions researching on the maize crop.

Twenty hectares have been set aside for the project, which will also comprise modern irrigation and laboratory facilities for field trials. The project will also train scientists from the region in how to research the disease.

“The research will involve both greenhouse and laboratory trials. This will help us identify which varieties are resistant to the maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) and advise breeders and governments accordingly,” said Stephen Mugo, a maize breeder at CIMMYT.

Mr Mugo said the project was important, as tests done on commercial hybrid maize sold to farmers in Kenya found that none of them was resistant to MLND.

“This is a real threat to food security and the very existence of seed companies because the latter will be left with no quality seeds to sell to farmers if something is not done fast,” he added.

The establishment of the facility comes in the wake of a looming decline in maize production in the East African region this year, due to MLND, pests and erratic weather.

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda have sounded the alarm over the disease, which not only threatens the region’s food security but also the livelihood of thousands of small-scale farmers.

READ: Lethal maize disease spreads into Uganda

Wreaked havoc

Mr Mugo said the disease has wreaked havoc in Kenya’s Rift Valley, northern Tanzania, eastern Uganda and parts of Rwanda.

“There is no other disease that has the capacity to damage the maize crop the way MLND has so far done. It is a real threat because, unlike other maize diseases, it spreads at an alarming rate with the help of insects,” Mr Mugo added.

The disease is spread by pests such as thrips, stem borer, rootworms and flea beetles.

MLND has no cure and, once a farm is affected, the farmer has to raze the crop.

Kari and CIMMYT are also expected to conduct satellite trials in other parts of the continent identified as hotspots for the disease.

Maize is both a food and a cash crop. In Kenya, it is the staple crop, and agricultural productivity is always measured in terms of maize yields.

On average, the country consumes 3.72 million bags of maize, 667,500 bags of beans and 940,000 bags of wheat every month. All bags weigh 90kg.

Kenya relies on imports to supplement local maize production, which has been outstripped by demand.

Total imports

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, total imports from the East African Community between July and September this year are expected to be 450,000 bags while those from outside the region are projected to be 100,000 bags.

In Uganda, maize contributed $58.6 million to the country’s export earnings in 2012, outperforming flowers, which brought in $52.8 million.

In its latest news update, Kenya Seed, the company mandated to research, develop and supply certified seeds to farmers, said the disease, caused by a combination of viruses, was first reported in Lower Longisa division of Bomet district in the Rift Valley region in September 2011.

Later, it spread to the neighbouring districts of Sotik, Konoin, Chepalungu, Trans Mara, Kisii, Bureti and Kericho.

“The disease has now moved to other parts of the country. It has attacked maize in Nakuru, Naivasha, Rumuruti, Imenti South, Embu and Kibwezi,” the company said.

Scientists have asked farmers to constantly inspect their farms for signs of the disease, and uproot, burn or bury the affected plants to stop the spread of the disease.