Kirinyaga: Mwea Farmers Battle Invasive Snails Destroying Rice Fields, Say Livelihoods at Risk
- Rice farmers in Mwea have battled a devastating snail infestation for years with little success, risking their livelihoods and food security
- The snails have spread across multiple sections of the irrigation scheme, forcing some farmers to turn to unsafe pesticides
- A joint government pilot programme has been launched to contain the pest using environmentally friendly methods in select farms
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TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Kirinyaga: Rice farmers at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme are facing a persistent and destructive threat that refuses to go away.
Source: UGC
For the past six years, an invasive species of snail has been ravaging rice paddies, leaving farmers frustrated and desperate.
The snails were first detected in the Tebere section in 2018 and have since spread to other parts of the scheme including Wamumu, Karaba Nguka, Thiba, and Ndekia.
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Despite concerted efforts by farmers to eradicate the pest using chemical sprays, manual collection, and even tobacco, the infestation has only worsened.
Joseph Kamau and Peter Njogu, who are among the affected farmers, said the snails continue to multiply rapidly and slither through their paddies, damaging young rice shoots.
Kamau noted that even when the government introduced a chemical pesticide, the snails not only survived but appeared to thrive.
“We were given some pesticides to spray, but after using them, the snails only got bigger and devoured even more rice plants. It made us wonder if the pesticide was actually serving as an appetizer,” Kamau said.
"We have tried everything, even hiring workers to hand-pick the snails and their eggs, but the problem persists," he added.
Some desperate farmers like Stanley Irungu from Mutithi Jua Kali section have turned to hazardous pesticides sourced from a neighbouring country, claiming that locally supplied chemicals have failed to work.
"We still have unused government pesticides in our stores because they are ineffective," Irungu said.
Mutithi Ward MCA and deputy speaker of the Kirinyaga County Assembly, Jinaro Njamumo, expressed concern over the fast-reproducing snails, especially during the transplanting season.
He confirmed that farmers are using unregulated chemicals due to lack of support.
"I have urged them to avoid these harmful alternatives, but they feel abandoned," he said.
Kirinyaga county takes action on invasive Mwea snails
In response, the Kirinyaga County Government has initiated a three-week pilot programme aimed at tackling the infestation.
The initiative, supported by the national government, targets the Golden Apple Snail, a migratory pest notorious for damaging newly transplanted rice crops.
Under the joint operation by county agricultural extension officers and the national team, 2,000 litres of Biograde 300 SL pesticide have been supplied.
The organic pesticide, sufficient to cover 8,000 acres of paddy over three spraying cycles, is part of a broader strategy that includes 40 sprayers and full protective gear for applicators.
Governor Anne Waiguru said the pilot programme would be rolled out in selected farms during the current transplanting season.
She described the timing as crucial, noting that the pest poses its biggest threat to crops less than 30 days old.
"Over 90 percent of the transplanting is expected to be complete by the end of the week, and our technical teams have already started application in affected areas," she said, as reported by Kenya News Agency.
She emphasised the importance of protecting Mwea rice, which is a strategic national food reserve.
Source: UGC
Will government import rice?
The fight against the snails comes at a time when the government plans to import several tonnes of duty-free rice.
In a statement, Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe said the government will import 500,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 white milled rice under the duty-free window up to December.
Kagwe added that the move was necessitated by a fall in the local production, against the country’s monthly consumption needs.
The move has drawn criticism from Mwea farmers, who feel neglected after years of promises to support local production.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
