A Handbook of Organic Plants Production in Kenya : A Case of Pyrethrum Production and Utilization

Botanical crops plants like pyrethrum, neem, tithonia, crotoralia, Mexican marigold are important source of organic insecticides. Their promotion would have enormous impact on a farmer's ability to manage soil resource and pests as they are promising alternative to synthetics towards organic crop. The utilization of botanical plant especially by the poorest farmers, is constrained by inadequate product evaluation and development which, if improved, will increase the reliable options available to farmers. Exploitation and optimal use of botanical plants can be enhanced through development and dissemination of knowledge and capacity building for research and initiation of innovations geared towards their sustainable development and use in organic crop production. Pyrethrum is the only botanical crop which has well commercialized and organized production system. This handbook will impact greatly on production and utilization of pyrethrum. In my current teaching, training and research career there is a lot of emphasis on organic crop production and therefore this handbook will be resourceful to farmers, students, researchers and stakeholders in agriculture development.