Banana Bunchy Top Disease Training Aids in the Prevention Against the Introduction of the Disease in Kenya

Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) with support from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) ) through United States Department of Agriculture USDA funding held a training for phytosanitary inspectors on banana bunchy top Disease caused by Banana Bunchy top virus. The virus has not been detected in Kenya following several surveillances since 2021. The training is part of efforts to enhance prevention measures against the introduction and spread of the virus following recent reports of the virus in Tanzania and Western Uganda.

The training was opened officially by Prof. Theophilus Mutui, Managing Director – KEPHIS. He emphasized the need for inspectors at border points to check the movement of banana planting materials that could pose the greatest risk of introduction of the disease. The training was attended by 34 inspectors from different border stations and various KEPHIS regional offices.

The training covered BBTD symptoms recognition, transmission and spread, prevention, management, pest surveillance protocol, digital data collection tools such as ODK, APP and sampling protocols as well as demonstration of point of care molecular diagnostics for on-field testing application.

KEPHIS acknowledges support from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to enhance the capacity of the NPPO of Kenya in the preparedness and management of emerging pests and diseases.

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