The PlantwisePlus Program is a Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI)
initiative that targets the improvement of plant health systems in Kenya, farmers’ access to
agricultural advice, and safe pesticide use, which will in turn, enhance Kenya’s horticultural
exports. The program assists small farmers by empowering them to accurately identify and
address plant health issues, thus assuring the production of horticultural crops of the requisite
quality for international markets. It uses modern digital approaches, plant clinics, and other
knowledge hubs to disseminate timely and precise plant health intelligence. The initiative also
seeks to enhance food safety by promoting agrochemical usage that minimizes pesticide residues
in exported foods. PlantwisePlus is compliant with the Kenya Policy on increasing agricultural
productivity and horticultural exports, especially to Europe and the Middle East, as well as
contributing to environmental protection through integrated pest management.
Implementation Status
The PlantwisePlus Program in Kenya began in 2021 and is still underway, focusing on major
horticultural-producing regions such as Central, Rift Valley, and Eastern Kenya. It works with
important players such as the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Ministry of
Agriculture, the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), and private sector companies such as
agro-input providers and exporters. The program is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth
and Development Office (FCDO).
Key Findings
As the program implementation continues, over 200,000 small holder farmers have since acquired requisite skills to accurately identify and address plant health issues. Moreover, these farmers have also been trained on safe use of pesticides. From discussions with program stakeholders, we established that the program has achieved the following accomplishments:
- Reduced post-harvest loss: The programme has significantly improved farmers’
capacity to diagnose and manage plant health issues, leading to reduced crop losses and
enhanced yield quality. - Compliance with international phytosanitary standards: The programme has
promoted adherence to export regulations by encouraging integrated pest management
and safe pesticide use. This reduced pesticide residues (MRL), enabling Kenyan produce
to meet EU and Middle East market standards.
Despite its progress, the implementation of PlantwisePlus Program has faced myriad of
challenges such as limited access to digital tools among smallholder farmers, inconsistent
enforcement of phytosanitary regulations, high costs of recommended pest management
practices, and the need for ongoing capacity building to sustain impact and address evolving plant
health threats.