CHUKA UNIVERSITY

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT REPORT

AT

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY (ICIPE)

PRESENTED BY: ROBERT OTIENO NYAYIERA

REG NO: BB3/26971/16

A FIELD ATTACHMENT REPORT SUBMITED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

AGEC, AGBM AND AGED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT
FOR THEAWARD OF DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN

AGRICULTURE OF CHUKA UNIVERSITY

DURATION: 6TH MAY -6TH JULY 2019

SUBMISSION DATE: ……………………………..

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 DECLARATION
I ROBERT OTIENO NYAYIERA declare that this is my original work and as to the best of my
knowledge has not been submitted for examination purposes in any university

Signature………………………………date…………………………………………….

This attachment report has been submitted for examination purposes with my approval as
university supervisor.

Name Dr. Odila date

Signature……………………………..date……………………………………………..

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 DEDICATION
I dedicate this report to my loving parents Mr. Nyayiera Mrs. Monica, my brothers and sisters.
Their love, support, patience, encouragement and understanding gave me the will and
determination to complete my attachment.

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 ABBREVIATIONS
ICIPE: international center of insect physiology and ecology

AIRCA: association of international research and development center agriculture

GPS: global positioning system

GIS : geographical information system

NDS: Napier stunt disease

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost I would like to express my thanks to God because of His love, care and
strength that He has given me to finish my attachment and enable me write my report. Special
regard to my family members and entire team of lecturers from Chuka University. I want to give
my special thanks to the ICIPE administration for giving me an opportunity to learn and get the
real work experience within their institution, my attachment supervisor Mr. Aloice Ndiege and
my university supervisor Dr. Odila for their excellent supervision and to inspire me during my
industrial attachment. Without their uniting assistance, direction, encouragement, comments,
suggestion, continuous guidance, this attachment could have not have been well. Thanks to all
my friends, for sharing their ideas experience, time and commitment during the attachment
period.

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Contents

DECLARATION.........................................................................................................................................................II
DEDICATION............................................................................................................................................................III
ABBREVIATIONS.....................................................................................................................................................IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................................V
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................................................VIII
CHAPTER ONE...........................................................................................................................................................1

1.1 ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND..........................................................................................1

1.2 ICIPE’S MAIN OBJECTIVES................................................................................................1
1.3 VISION...............................................................................................................................2
1.4 MISSION.............................................................................................................................2
1.5 INSTITUTIONAL GOALS......................................................................................................2
1.5.1 Create knowledge......................................................................................................................................3
1.5.2 Build capacity:..........................................................................................................................................3
1.5.3 Develop policy:.........................................................................................................................................3
1.5.4 Reduce poverty:........................................................................................................................................3
1.6 THE 4 PARADIGM..............................................................................................................3
1.6.1 Human Health...........................................................................................................................................3
1.6.2 Animal health............................................................................................................................................3
1.6.3 Plant health...............................................................................................................................................4
1.6.4 Environmental health................................................................................................................................4
1.7 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF ICIPE............................................................................5
1.8 CAPACITY BUILDING.........................................................................................................6
CHAPTER TWO..........................................................................................................................................................7
2 METHODOLOGY...............................................................................................................................................7

2.1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................7
2.2 RESEARCH DESIGN.............................................................................................................7
2.3 LOCATION OF STUDY.........................................................................................................7
2.4 TARGET..............................................................................................................................7
2.5 SAMPLING PROCEDURE......................................................................................................7
2.6 SAMPLE SIZE......................................................................................................................8
2.7 DATA COLLECTION............................................................................................................8
2.7.1 Data sources.............................................................................................................................................8
2.7.2 Method of data collection.........................................................................................................................8
2.7.3 Data analysis............................................................................................................................................9
CHAPTER THREE....................................................................................................................................................10
3 RESULT/REPORT ON ACTIVITIES............................................................................................................10

3.1 MASS REARING................................................................................................................10

3.2 PUSH-PULL PROJECT.......................................................................................................10

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 3.3 DAIRY UNIT.....................................................................................................................11
3.4 TICKS CONTROL...............................................................................................................12
3.5 NAPIER STUNT DISEASE FIELD STUDY...........................................................................12
3.6 DNA EXTRACTION FROM PLANT MATERIAL...................................................................13
3.6.1 Polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis...............................................................................13
3.7 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)..................................................................15
3.7.1 Uses of GPS............................................................................................................................................16
3.7.2 Limitation of GPS...................................................................................................................................16
3.7.3 Conclusion about the GPS and GIS........................................................................................................16
EQUIPMENT TO HAVE WITH YOU IN THE FIELD........................................................................................16
PREPARING FOR THE FIELD: PLANNING FOR DATA COLLECTION.....................................................16

DESIGN A DATA COLLECTION SHEET:.........................................................................................17

PILOT THE DATA COLLECTION PROCESS.....................................................................................17
PREPARE A DATA BACKUP SCHEDULE........................................................................................18
PLAN FIELD VISITS......................................................................................................................18
CHAPTER FOUR.......................................................................................................................................................19
4 DISCUSSION.....................................................................................................................................................19

4.1 SUCCESS OF ATTACHMENT EXERCISE..............................................................................19

4.2 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED DURING THE ATTACHMENT PERIOD..................................19
4.3 HOW CHALLENGES WERE SOLVED...................................................................................20
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................................................................21

RECOMMENDATION....................................................................................................................22
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................................23
APPENDIX..................................................................................................................................................................24
Feeding goats.......................................................................................................................................................24
Cutting animals feed using chaff cutter...............................................................................................................24

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 ABSTRACT
This report gives the overview of attachment I did as from 6th may to 6th July at ICIPE mbita sub-
county. This report is divided into four chapters. The first chapter deals with introduction that
presents the organization background, objective, vision, mission, core values and organizational
structure of the institution. The second chapter deals with the methodologies. The third chapter
deals with the discussion which present the success/failure of the institution and how challenges
were solved and lastly are the conclusion and recommendation on how attachment exercise can
be improved.

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 CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Organization background

The international centre of insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) is an international, pan-
African, non-governmental and non-profit Centre of Excellence for research, development and
capacity building. It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya and works towards improving lives and
livelihoods of people in Africa, and is presently engaged in 29 African countries. ICIPE spans a
total area of 24.5ha which consist of about 40% fixed and landscape building. Its ecological
factors include a rainfall regime of about 800mm, humidity of 75% and temperature of 10 to
350C.

I.C.I.P.E was founded in 1970 by a renowned Kenyan entomologist, Prof. Thomas R.

Odhiambo, with strong encouragement from Carl Djerassi, a professor of chemistry at Stanford
University. ICIPE is a member of Association of International Research and Development
Centre for Agriculture (AIRCA).

Today, ICIPE is the only international centre in sub-Saharan Africa working primarily on
arthropods, conserving and utilizing the rich insect biodiversity found in Africa. ICIPE focuses
on sustainable development using human, animal, and plant health as the bases, and the
environment as the foundation for sustainability. ICIPE works in a holistic and sustainable
approach through a 4-H paradigm- human, animal, plant and environment health, with the aim of
improving the overall health of communities in tropical Africa by addressing the interlinked
problems of poverty, poor health, low agricultural productivity and environmental degradation.

1.2 ICIPE’S main objectives

a. To research and develop alternative environmentally friendly pest and vector
management strategies that are effective, selective, non-polluting, non-resistance
inducing, and are affordable to resource-limited rural and urban communities.
b. ICIPE’S mandate extends to the conservation and use of the rich insect biodiversity
found in Africa.

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 c. To focus on improving the health of people especially in subs Sahara Africa, so that they
can play a vital role in the society and economy that they deserve to.
d. To contribute to sustainable food security in Africa through the development of
integrated pest management system for major agricultural and horticultural crops ie
through the biological control, use of behaviors modification and arthropod-active
botanicals strategies.
e. To support the prime role of domestic animals by developing and promoting appropriate,
environmentally friendly and intelligent technologies for the sustainable management of
disease vector i.e. tsetse flies.
f. ICIPE’S commercial insect technology packages are designed to assist communities in
East Africa to improve their livelihood through income generating activities like silk and
honey production.

1.3 Vision
To be the leading institution helping to ensure food security and better heath for humankind and
its livestock; protecting the environment; and conserving and making better use of natural
resources.

1.4 Mission
To help alleviate poverty, ensure food security and improve the overall health status of people of
the tropics by developing and extending management tools and strategies for harmful and useful
arthropods, while preserving the natural resource base through research and building capacity.

1.5 Institutional goals

To achieve its mission, ICIPE has specific objectives in each of the 4-H research areas of human,
animal, plant and environmental health. ICIPE will continue to develop, introduce and adapt new
tools and strategies for arthropod management that are environmentally safe, affordable,
appropriate, socially acceptable and applicable by the target end-users, with full community
participation. In addition, there are centre-wide goals that span all program areas:

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1.5.1 Create knowledge
ICIPE aims to serve as the regional focus for bioscience and technology information and
knowledge, and to develop and adapt improved arthropod management technologies.

1.5.2 Build capacity:

ICIPE will continue to build the capacity of individual researchers and institutions in the topics
to initiate original research activities as new problems arise; to empower women and harness the
youth; and to build capacity to use, transfer and teach ICIPE’S technologies.

1.5.3 Develop policy:

ICIPE contributes to policy development in areas relevant to its work by cooperating and
working closely with African governments and institutions at the local level, and with other
policy-making organizations at regional and international levels.

1.5.4 Reduce poverty:

The ultimate goals of ICIPE research are to reduce the impact of arthropod pests that have a
direct bearing on poverty, food production and well-being; create sustainable livelihoods for
rural communities and entrepreneurs through agro-based food, fiber and health products
enterprise development; and promote use of beneficial insects.

1.6 The 4 Paradigm

1.6.1 Human Health

ICIPE focuses on improving human health, especially in sub-Saharan Africa recognizing
that an increase in productivity depends on a healthy workforce. In addition to burdening
the health infrastructures, diseases such as malaria and Trypanosomiasis, limit the
capabilities and outputs of farmers in Africa.

1.6.2 Animal health

Pests and diseases in livestock continue to hold back development in large parts of
Africa. ICIPE supports the prime role of domestic animals by developing and promoting
appropriate, environmentally friendly and intelligent technologies for the sustainable
management of disease vectors, such as tsetse flies; conducts research into the control of
ticks and tick borne disease. ICIPE is incorporating indigenous knowledge to develop

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 integrated which rely on biological control, use of botanicals and behavioral modification
of the cues ticks use to find hosts and mates.

1.6.3 Plant health

ICIPE contributes to sustainable food security in Africa through the development of
integrated pest management systems for major agricultural and horticultural crops. Such
strategies include biological control, use of behavior modification and arthropod-active
botanicals. ICIPE emphasizes control approaches that have no detrimental impact on the
environment. These options are always designed to fit the needs of the farmers and are
developed on the farms and with farmers’ participation. Key areas of ICIPE’S plant
health research include pests of staple food crops like maize and sorghum, vegetables,
legumes, and of fruits, as well as locusts and other outbreak pests. More recently
development of integrated management approach for Napier stunt disease has become
one of the division’s key programs.

1.6.4 Environmental health

ICIPE’S commercial insect-technology packages are designed to assist communities in
East Africa to improve their livelihoods through income generating activities like bio-
prospecting, silk and honey production

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1.7 Organizational structure of icipe

1.8 Capacity Building

Capacity building program promotes the development and utilization of sustainable arthropod
management by enhancing the research and training capabilities of countries in Africa. It

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includes training of African nationals for leadership roles in insect science, enhancing national
capacities for technology diffusion, adoption and utilization and facilitating the dissemination
and exchange of information. In turn, these objectives are realized through three key programs-
postgraduate training at PhD and MSc levels, the professional development schemes for
scientists of any nationality and the non-degree training courses for scientists, community
members and extension workers. The ARPPIS program, a partnership with 32 African
Universities, with financial support from German Academic Exchange Program, offers 3-year
doctorial research fellowships, aimed at preparing young scholars from Africa for regional
leadership roles, as well as internationally competitive research careers, in arthropod-related
sciences.

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 CHAPTER TWO

2 METHODOLOGY

2.1 Introduction
This chapter discussed about the methodology used in this study. The study area, population and
sample size, source of data, data collection instruments and data analysis are discussed in this
chapter.

2.2 Research design

Afield survey was used to collect data from the study site. Farming households were used as
analysis units since it was in the households that major decisions relating to population were
made. Single visit or single short survey was the cheapest and probably the most common formal
survey method since its results could, in principle be analyzed and presented in a relatively short
time.

2.3 Location of study

Homa-bay County in Kenya spans a total area of 24.5ha which consist of about 40% fixed and
landscape building. Farmers in ICIPE Mbita faced hash ecological condition with limited
rainfall regime of about 800mm, humidity of 75% and temperature of 10 to 350C.

2.4 Target
The accessible population was all the farmers in Homa-bay county and entire country regardless
of their background.

2.5 Sampling procedure

Part of Homa-bay county i.e. kasgunga ward was classified as an ASAL region. Stratified
sampling technique was used to divide the area into strata based on the farmers who are
practicing farming (push-pull farming). This technique was useful since it /reduces the sample
size required to achieve a given precision and accurate results. Simple random sampling was
then used. This helps in minimizing biasness and simplifies result analysis.

In particular, the variance between individual results within the sample was a clear indicator of
overall population variance which made it relatively easy to estimate their result’s accuracy.

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2.6 Sample size
Sample size consisted of 30 small scale farmers. This was considered more efficient as far as
time and financial issues are concerned.

2.7 Data collection

2.7.1 Data sources

There were two main sources of data collection used i.e. primary source and secondary source

a. Primary sources
These were data collected from individual interviewed in the study ie through interviews
and questionnaires

b secondary sources

These includes data from the books economic survey World Wide Web, journals, government
publications statistical reports etc

2.7.2 Method of data collection

i. Questionnaire
This helped;
 . Allow adequate time to enable one think and give correct answer.
 Enable the respondents to use their own words in explanations.

Even though it was appropriate, it also had some of its limitation i.e.

 The illiterate could give ambiguous answers.

 There could be low rate of return hence non- response bias in data
analysis.
ii. Interviews
It was appropriate because;
 It provided valuable information.
 Provided face-to-face interaction between the farmer and the supervisor.

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 2.7.3 Data analysis
Data and information collected were analyzed using a combination of descriptive statistics,
statistical and econometric models such as correlation coefficient and linear regression models.
Descriptive statistics summarized and described the sample. Inferential statistics i.e. correlation
and regression analysis were used as descriptive tool to ensure; efficient inferences were made to
the larger Homa-bay county population.

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 CHAPTER THREE

3 RESULT/REPORT ON ACTIVITIES

3.1 Mass Rearing

This involves rearing of insects of different growth stages for research purposes. The pests
include the stem borers and the Fall army worm.There are two species of the stem borers namely
Buseola fusca and chilo partelus which affects maize and sorghum respectively.These pests
undergo complete metamorphosis ie eggs,larva,pupa and adult.The pests had to be fed,harvested
from the kilnerjar to the oviposition cage and introduced to their natural enemies on a daily basis.

Biological control of stem borer.

Push pull technology came up with possible biological control measures which will enable
sustainable agricultural production. This involves the use of parasitoid fly insect which stings
larvae of stem borer to produce the cocoon of the parasitoid thereby and causing death of the
larvae. This natural enemy reduces the reproduction and spread of stem borer.

There are two species of fly insect i.e. Cotesia sessamiae and cotesia flavipes.C. sessamiae is
used to control buseola fusca while C. flavipes is used to control Chilo patelus.

3.2 Push-Pull Project

 Over the years, The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) with
partners developed a novel conservation agricultural technology termed ‘push-pull’,
based on companion cropping that effectively controls both constraints simultaneously.
However, the effects of climate change threatened its expansion into drier areas where
Striga is rapidly spreading. Further adaptation of the conventional (original) push-pull
technology has thus been achieved through identification and incorporation of drought
tolerant companion crops, and the procedure termed ‘climate-smart’ push-pull technology
(courtesy of ICIPE). With maximum adoption of the adapted technology, food security in
the drier agro ecologies have been enhanced through increased cereal yields. However,
measures for proper adoption and dissemination of the technology are still in the

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 implementation stage. Push-pull is a normal technology used to control stem borers and
sriga weeds with the view of increasing production that would help take up the food
security. There are three aspects being addressed in push pull.That is;
 Control of stem borers.
 Control of striga weeds.
 Improving of soil fertility and sustaining it.

3.3 Dairy unit

Dairy unit Consist of zero grazing structure and its components, tools and equipment and the
animals. The animals here include; Fresian cows and the goat which include the Toggenburg and
the seanen buck. The seanen buck has long horns while the Toggenburg has short horns. The
tools and equipment include wheelbarrows, chaff cutter, rake, spades, jembes, pangas, slashers,
brooms and even the pipes (hoarse pipe). The animals were being fed and watered on a daily
basis. The milking was done on a milking parlor each and every morning and evening hours. The
structures are sounded by the Melinis grass which acts as a repellant plant for ticks. The zero
grazing structure has various components ie milking parlor, feeding trough, watering troughs,
resting yard, store, silliary, exercise unit. There are four species of ticks which attacks different
parts of the animals ie

i. Red-legged ticks which attacks around the animals’ anus.

ii. Soft ticks which attacks around the belly region.
iii. Brown ear ticks which attacks around the ear and the eyes.
iv. Brown legged ticks which attacks along the dewlaps and in between the hooves.

Animal disease and their symptoms

There are common signs and symptoms of animal diseases ie

 Bloody diarrhea.
 High temperature.
 Weakening.
 Stressful.
 Depression and loss of appetite.

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  Resting and sleeping all the time.
 Collapse and death.

3.4 Ticks control

 Spraying.
 Burning.
 Ploughing.
 Dipping.
 Use of repellant plants i.e. Melinis plants.
 Use of biological control i.e. birds.

3.5 Napier Stunt Disease Field Study

Napier grass or elephant grass Pennisetum purpureum, the most important livestock fodder crop
in East Africa and is under the threat of Napier grass stunt disease. The disease was first
discovered in 2000 by ICIPE. Napier grass is a native clumping grass of Tropical Africa that
grows to a height of 3-5cm tall and is mainly propagated from cuttings of three to four nodes in
lengths. It is also planted for environmental protection, to stabilize soils and act as wind breaks.
In Kenya it has been used in the novel ‘push-pull’ pest management system for cereal stem bores
(Khan et al 2001). The symptoms observed include foliar yellowing, little leaves, and
proliferation of tillers and shortening of internodes to the extent that clumps are severely stunted.
Tests for viruses and root infecting fungi were all negative. Leaf samples from both yellowed
and apparently healthy plants were sent to Rothamsted, as were rooted plants grown on under
quarantine. Total DNA extracted from each leaf sample was used as template in nested PCR
using Phytoplasma ribosomal DNA primers pairs P1/P6 and the R16F2n. A 1250 bp rDNA
product was amplified from all yellowed leaves and from two of three apparently healthy leaves.
All rooted plants grown under quarantine conditions had yellowed leaves and stunted growth and
were Phytoplasma positive. Napier grass is also promoted in the ‘push pull’ production system
for the control of maize stem borers and striga weed and also in the management of insects at
Rothamsted (Mulaa et al 2004 a&b).The dream to manage the disease was realized in 2013
when two NSD resistant cultivars passed farm trials, however ongoing work is vital to develop
integrated management system that includes introduction of resistant cultivars, building farmers

12
knowledge about how the disease it spreads , the proper disposal of diseased plants, the potential
reservoirs of NSD and diversification of fodder sources. Research is also done to understand the
biology and epidemiology of the disease mainly not to spread on other vital food crops.

3.6 DNA extraction from plant Material

Napier grass obtained from the screen house Older leaves from the plants in the screen-house
were sampled systematically and placed in labeled 1.5 ml micro centrifuge tubes. DNA was
extracted from leaves by the following procedure: The plants were crushed into fine powder after
freezing to crispy feeling in liquid nitrogen. To each plant sample in powder form, 600µl of
CTAB buffer was added. The extract was transferred to 65 ̊C water bath for one hour. They were
removed from water bath and left for some hours to cool on the bench for about one hour.
Chloroform Isoamyl of equal amount was added to each extract and centrifuged at 8000rpm for 5
minutes. The upper aqueous layer was transferred into a clean pre- labelled micro centrifuge
tubes. Equal amount of cold Isopropanol was added to each sample in the tubes.

They were placed overnight at -20̊ C refrigeration. The samples were centrifuged at 1300rpm for
30 minutes. Then isopropanol was carefully poured out not to spill out the pellet. The pellet was
washed twice with 600µl of 70% ethanol. The microfuge tubes with the pellet was air dried on
the bench for 3hours.The pellet was suspended in 50µl distilled water and placed in the fridge
further procedures.

3.6.1 Polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis

Phytoplasma DNA was amplified according to published protocols, using universal primer pair
P1/P6 in the first round PCR followed by primer pair NapF/NapR in the Thermal cycler or
Proflex PCR machine. Amplicons were then visualized by gel electrophoresis in a 1.5% agarose
gel stained with ethodium bromide using TAE as running buffer, and photographed. In all the
experiments, water controls were included in which no plant nucleic acid was added to the PCR
reaction mix as negative controls.

Napier Stunt Disease PCR cycling Parameters

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P1P6 Parameters

Initialization- 94°C for 5 min

Denaturation - 94°C for 30 secs

- 52°C for 1 min

- 72°C for 2 min

Annealing- 72°C for 10 mins

Extension - 4°C hold

Table 1: Components of master-mix for 1st round PCR

X1 X12(n+2)

H2O 14.75 177

Buffer 2.5 30
DNTPs 2.5 30
P1 1 12
P6 1 12
Taq 0.25 3
Template 1

NapF NapR parameters

Initialization- 94°C for 4 mins

Denaturation - 94°C for 45 secs

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 - 72°C for 2 min

Annealing- 72°C for 10 min

Extension - 4°C hold

Table 2: Components of master-mix 2nd round PCR

H2O 14.8 177.6

Buffer 2.5 30
DNTPs 2.5 30
Nap F 1 12
Nap R 1 12
Taq 0.25 3

3.7 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is made up of satellites, ground stations, and
receivers. GPS is a system. ... Once the receiver calculates its distance from four or more
satellites, it knows exactly where you are.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of about 30 satellites orbiting the Earth at an
altitude of 20,000 km ... Once it has information on how far away at least three satellites are,
your GPS receiver can pinpoint your location using a process called trilateration.
GPS systems are extremely versatile and can be found in almost any industry sector. They can
be used to map forests, help farmers harvest their fields, and navigate airplanes on the ground or
in the air. GPS systems are used in military applications and by emergency crews to locate
people in need of assistance.
Each GPS satellite continuously broadcasts a navigation message at 50 bits per second on the
microwave carrier frequency of approx 1600 MHz .FM radio, for comparison, is broadcast at
between 87.5 and 108.0 MHz and Wi-Fi networks operate at around 5000 MHz and 2400 MHz
More precisely, all satellites broadcast at 1575.42 .

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 3.7.1 Uses of GPS
i. Helps in navigation.
ii. Helps in mapping the forest.
iii. Helps farmers to harvest their field.
iv. Assist in emergency.

3.7.2 Limitation of GPS

i. The elevation reading from GPS receiver is not very accurate due to unclear sky.
ii. One cannot obtain the GPS reading when he/she cannot occupy a certain point.

3.7.3 Conclusion about the GPS and GIS

The integration of GPS with GIS brings the real world to the desktop. What could take days to
visit a specific site and analyze can now be performed on desktop. The power of GPS/GIS is
immense and application is unlimited and varied in all areas.

Equipment to have with you in the field

 PC Laptop loaded with:
- DNR GPS (freeware for PCs – download from
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/DNRGPS/DNRGPS.html
- Google Earth (freeware – download from http://earth.google.com/
- ESRI ArcMap 10.1 (get from Tufts GIS Support) – if you are using GIS – only runs
on PCs
 Rechargeable batteries – at least 4 sets – keep two with you at all times
 Battery charger that can recharge the GPS unit batteries; car battery charger if possible
 Extra cable (USB or serial port) to run from the GPS unit to your laptop

Preparing for the field: planning for data collection

At each location, you will be recording the latitude and longitude and also collecting several
other pieces of information. The recommended approach is that you manually record this
information on a pre-formatted paper data collection sheet – one sheet for each location where
you will be recording a location with the GPS unit.

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It is very important to prepare this data collection sheet carefully well in advance of your field
research, and that you PILOT it before embarking on field research. To pilot, test record the
information in the fields then enter it into an electronic spreadsheet.
You can find a basic sample spreadsheet on the Tufts web site as part of the GPS guide
materials.
Design a data collection sheet:
1. Carefully think through all the information you will need to collect in the field and create
a list of this information
2. Go through this list and for each item, write down the type of value you will record (e.g.:
count, measurement, description, comment, yes/no, etc.)
3. Again for each item, decide whether the information can be coded to ease data collection
(e.g., a code for vegetation type, classifying tree cover by percentage class, Y/N for
yes/no)
4. Create a one-page paper data collection spreadsheet that contains all these information
items, plus the following critical items:
a. GPS Unit ID (if using multiple units)
b. Waypoint ID
c. Decimal Degrees N (or S depending on your location relative to the equator)
d. Decimal Degrees E (or W depending on your location relative to Greenwich,
England, the prime meridian)
5. Create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet where this information will be recorded – each site
should have its own row, and each item on your information sheet should have its own
column.
Pilot the data collection process
Test out the entire data collection process and evaluate the following:
1. Average, minimum, and maximum time needed for data collection at each site (including
GPS location collection, plus all other site data)
2. Usability of the preformatted data sheets
3. Length of time a battery pack lasts
4. Usability of the information downloaded from the GPS unit (go through download
process and the process of bringing data into GIS)

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 5. Ease/difficulty of data entry from paper sheets
Prepare a data backup schedule
Create a backup schedule by which you back up your data on a regular (daily) basis
Plan field visits
Know where you will be going in the field. Get a good map of the area. Mark out the locations
you need to go. From your pilot of the data collection process, plan your field visits with
adequate time at each site.
If necessary, the GPS unit can be used to help navigate you to a location assuming you have the
latitude and longitude coordinates of that location. But you should not depend on that – if
possible, get other location information (address, building, landmarks, distance/direction from
road/stream, etc.)
If possible, prepare a map using Google Earth or ArcGIS and have printouts of this with you in
the field at a resolution that helps you navigate to the needed locations.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

4 DISCUSSION

4.1 Success of attachment exercise

The attachment enhanced my competencies and my competitiveness as an agribusiness student.

I gained understanding of work place expectation and professional ethics.

I managed to take advantage of my valuable skilled supervisor and other staff member and the
learned more technical skill from them.

I managed gather skill from different department of the organization.

I managed to visit various departments and gathered managerial skills from various managers.

The training has equipped me with knowledge on how to associate and react with different
categories of people and how to handle their problem effectively.

4.2 Challenges encountered during the attachment period

Adapting to the working environment; due to the fact that I was new in the organization, it took
me sometime to adopt and cope with the working environment.

Inadequate transportation facilities; this was one of the major challenge in the organization.
Therefore I used to arrange and organize for my transportation to and from the institution every
morning and evening daily.

Inadequate and expensive accommodation; this challenge made the attaché to look for cheaper
accommodation which were actually not nearby the organization.

Outbreak of disease and i.e. malaria since the organization was location along the lake region.

Language barrier; my colleagues I and were finding it difficult to pass out some of the important
information to farmers since most of them were only speaking in their local language.

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4.3 How challenges were solved
Even though the institutions were offering expensive accommodation there were cheap
accommodations nearby the institution.

In the case of language barrier, we were using a translator to translate for them some of the
words to their local language.

In the case of transportation, I used to wake up early in the morning to cope up with the activities
in time.

My colleagues and I were provided with treated mosquito net to anticipate the spread of malaria
via mosquito bite.

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 Conclusion
ICIPE Thomas Odhiambo campus has work tirelessly on push-pull technology and truly it has
become successful to both small scale as well as large scale farmers in Kenya and outside Kenya.
Push-pull adoption by farmers has evidently shown that, pest like stem borer can be controlled
efficiently by natural means through production of volatile that repel and trap these pests at the
same time.
This technology has also done well in the control of striga weed, Desmodium roots in the soil
forms a net-like structure that covers and suppresses germination and emergence of striga seeds.
In the screen house where an experiment on mechanism of Desmodium in control of striga, we
found that Desmodium produces root exudates that control striga growth.
Currently, ICIPE is doing a research on Fall armyworm which has become a great threat to
famers especially those growing maize crop. A number of parasitoids have been identified to
develop from fall armyworm larva collected from various field.

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Recommendation
From a good research done by ICIPE on plant, animal, environment and human health
departments, I therefore recommend that the government should intervene to promote
researchers and investors to do more of their research at ICIPE. Accommodation should also be
provided to the students undertaking their attachment at ICIPE

In as much as the procurement procedures take time, improvements should be made on the time
in which the reagents are brought. This would bring more efficiency at which experiments are
done and results provided in good time.

Information on the findings should be disseminated to farmers in the right way and time, by so
doing, there will be awareness dissemination to all public.

The research needs to address the aspect of future climatic changes to ensure that shortages are
not encountered.

Together, scientists should ensure that the focus of the research agenda is on farmers’ real needs.

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 References

Borlaug, N. E. (2004). President's Address. Sasakawa Africa association, annual report 2003–
2004, 1–2. (Writers and eds: A. McNab & C. Dowswell).

Cook, Samantha M.; Khan, Zeyaur R.; and Pickett, John A. (2007). "The use of push-pull
strategies in integrated pest management" (PDF). Annual Review of Entomology 52: 375–
400.

Gatsby Charitable Foundation. (2005). The quiet revolution: push-pull technology and African
farmer. Gatsby Occasional Paper. The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, Allington House,
London SW1E 5AE, UK.

Gurr G.M, Wratten S.D, Altieri A . (2004). Wallingford, UK:CAB International

Kato T, Sato S, Nakamura Y, Kaneko T, Asamizu E, Tabata S(2003)Structural analysis of a

Lotus japonicus genome. V. Sequence features and mapping of sixty-four TAC clones
which cover the 6.4 Mb regions of the genome. DNA Res. 10, 277–285.
doi:10.1093/dnares/10.6.277

Khan Z.R, Pickett J.A, Vandenberg J, Wadhams L.J, Woodcock C.M (2000) Exploiting chemical
ecology and species diversity: stemborer and Striga control for maize and sorghum in
Africa. Pest Man. Sci. 56, 957–962. doi:10.1002/1526-4998(200011)56:11<957::AID-
PS236>3.0.CO;2-T.

Kouchi H, et al.( 2004) Large-scale analysis of gene expression profiles during early stages of
root nodule formation in a model legume, Lotus japonicus. DNA Res. 11, 263–274.
doi:10.1093/dnares/11.4.263.

Lamblin A.F.J, et al.( 2003) MtDB, a database for personalized data mining of the model legume
Medicago truncatula transcriptome. Nucleic Acids Res. 31, 196–201.
doi:10.1093/nar/gkg119.

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 APPENDIX

Feeding goats Push-pull farm

Cutting animals feed using chaff cutter Under screen house Under laboratory

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