Trans Nzoia Deputy Governor Stanley Tarus sprays pesticide on a maize farm in Namanjalala, Trans Nzoia, on May 9, 2017. [Photo: nation.co.ke]Using too much pesticide especially on cereals in an efforts to curb post-harvest losses could have harmful effects on humans after they consume those foods.Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) director of crops system Lusike Wasilwa on Thursday cautioned farmers against this move while urging them to be careful in how they use chemicals when storing grains."There is need to train farmers to manage pesticides so we can have safe food for our people. Farmers must follow the instructions given while using chemicals to store the grain" Wasilwa said as quoted by the Star.She noted that chemicals should be put in the storage bags and not in the grain."Farmers should also know that these chemicals are poisonous, hence too much of them could be harmful to human health," she added.Wasilwa said farmers, especially in the North Rift where harvesting is ongoing and who are likely to experience huge losses because of heavy rains, may be forced to go an extra measure to protect their dried grains against pests by applying too much pesticide which is dangerous.Wasilwa urged farmers to establish overhead storage facilities to allow enough air to flow and prevent rodents and weevils from attacking their grains.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 30-40 percent post-harvest losses occur in Kenya. This is about three months after harvest when dry grains are damaged by pests such as maize weevils and the larger grain borer.Poor storage facilities and substandard storage pesticides increase losses which prompts farmers to sell their grains at low prices to avoid further losses.Losses also result when maize is not dried well, causing deterioration because of aflatoxin attack which depends on the region and the level of awareness among farmers, according to Wasilwa.Post-harvest loss, a crucial component of the food security has not been given as much attention as food production or hunger management. It is the degradation of both quantity and quality of food production, from harvest to consumption.Globally, about 1.3 billion tonnes or one-third of all food produced for human consumption, are lost before they reach the market or the consumer annually.This is enough to feed all the undernourished people in the world.

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