Proceedings of the First Regional Workshop on Coffee Berry Disease

Abstract

Coffee is the most important product in Kenyan agriculture and is inf act the mainstay of the country's economy. Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) an anthracnose of green and ripening berries, has been and indeed continues to be the most serious threat to production of this important crop commodity. Growing Arabica coffee in Kenya, is infact becoming more unprofitable as a result of the escalating costs of production arising mostly from measures to control CBD, coupled with the falling prices on the world coffee market. A tre-mendous amount of research at the CRS, Ruiru, has been devoted to CBD and indeed, that coffee is still being grown in Kenya at all, is a reflection of the results of this work. This report gives an account of research undertaken on the Station, aimed at finding the most offectiveiy and yet economic control measures to CBD. The paper traces the history of this disease and the magnitude of crop losses that have occurred arising out of the CBD epidemics. Details regarding the pathogen, its mode of infection, the symptoms and its epidemiology are given by a consideration of control measure, i.e. chemical control and use of disease resistant varieties as well as the economic implications of such control measures. It is concluded, that there is need for more judicious use of chemicals at the farm level, and that farmers needed more protection against use of inferior chemicals. This, it is suggested, could be achieved by way of Government as well as its research agencies, instituting more strict control regulations on importation and use of chemicals. Furthermore, short-term measures aimed at reducing the cost of controlling CBD by chemical sprays are suggested. The introduction to the coffee growers of disease resistance varieties, which is expected in the near future, is considered in terms of the impact it will have, both on the Coffee industry and the national economy. Finally, the report strategy emphasizes the need for support of continued research, and for international collaboration among research institutions in terms of exchange of information and materials.