Politics and policyA maize plant affected by the head smut disease at a farm in Elgeyo-Marakwet. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYAThe maize disease that is ravaging farms in Kenya’s bread basket of North Rift could have affected between 30-50 per cent of individual fields, posing a food security threat in a country already grappling with a shortage. SHARE THIS STORY TweetAgriculture PS Richard Lesiyampe said head smut disease normally affects almost half of the production in the affected field. “Individual fields affected by the head smut may have losses in the range of 30-50 per cent,” he said. Mr Lesiyampe said in Kenya, head smut is found in maize growing areas, but often in very low proportions.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 28, 2016 17:26 UTC