Effects of Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) Disease on Maize Output and Food Security Among Smallholder Farmers in Bomet County, Kenya

Maize is one of the leading cereals produced and consumed in Kenya and is very vital to food security. In the recent past, maize production has encountered many problems including poor input use, drought, pests, and diseases. Maize production in Kenya has been particularly devastated by Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN), a viral disease which unexpectedly infested the maize crops in 2011. The disease has caused major economic and social losses to maize farmers and has spread to other neighbouring countries. Data on 3368 households was collected using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling method. The estimation procedure involves the use of propensity score matching to determine the effect of MLN on household food security and maize output. The results of this study indicate that MLN disease reduces household food security by about 16.6 percent, while it reduces maize output by about 10 (90 kgs.) bags per acre. The study therefore recommends that the government and stakeholders design appropriate policies for restoring plant health which include maize-resistant varieties, training of smallholder farmers on good agronomic practices and growing of alternative crops in order to break the disease cycle thus ensuring food security