Institute finds solution to deadly tomato pest
For years, tomato farmers across northern Nigeria have lived under the shadow of a tiny but deadly pest. Known scientifically as Tuta absoluta, the moth larva has ravaged tomato fields, leaving farmers counting losses in billions of naira. But a new wave of research and innovation from the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) is now […]
For years, tomato farmers across northern Nigeria have lived under the shadow of a tiny but deadly pest. Known scientifically as Tuta absoluta, the moth larva has ravaged tomato fields, leaving farmers counting losses in billions of naira.
But a new wave of research and innovation from the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) is now offering hope of a breakthrough.
The year 2015 remains etched in the memory of many farmers. That was when Tuta Absoluta first invaded Nigeria’s tomato value chain, disrupting production and crippling livelihoods. Entire fields were wiped out, and tomato prices skyrocketed in markets. The devastation was so severe that the pest earned the nickname, “Tomato ebola” among farmers and traders.
Dr Abiola Oke, a director at NIHORT and leader of the Nigerian Tuta Absoluta Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme, recalls those dark days vividly.
- France, FIRS and Nigeria’s red lines
- INEC’s regulatory abdication and the shrinking democratic space
She said, “It disrupted the whole value chain in 2015. Farmers invested heavily but came out with nothing because the pest destroyed everything.”
NIHORT, with its federal mandate for tomato research, swung into action. Supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the institute developed an IPM package tailored to Nigerian conditions. This package included a patented trap tree, as well as two biopesticides, NIHORT Liptol and NIHORT Ractine, both designed to combat Tuta Absoluta. Trials were conducted with 20 farmers across each of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Plateau states.
“We want to see which of the Leos is most efficient and cost-effective.
“We started with 20 farmers, but due to demand, we expanded to 26 across Kano, Kaduna, and Plateau. Each farmer received inputs including Ractine, Liptol, tray, and the pheromone traps,” Dr Oke explained.
He said NIHORT also provided farmers with a new tomato seed variety, NIHORT Otitom 1 bred for resilience, saying darmers nurtured the seeds in nurseries before transplanting them into fields, where the IPM package was applied.
“To monitor progress, NIHORT partnered with the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA), which deployed drones to capture aerial images of farms during transplanting, flowering, and harvesting stages.
For farmers, the stakes are high. “We want farmers to get maximum yield from what they put in,
“If a farmer invests N100,000, he should be able to harvest produce worth N250,000. Not that he invests and comes out with zero because Tuta destroyed everything,” Oke added.
The institute’s breakthroughs extend beyond tomato. Farmers discovered that the biopesticides also worked against fall armyworm in maize and cowpea, showing promise for wider application across crops.
Billions lost
Dr Oke also said that over the years, billions of naira worth of tomato was lost annually to tuta absoluta.
“This pest has been a major setback for horticulture, but our research is providing solutions that can restore confidence in the tomato value chain,” she said.
Technology, a game changer – Kano tomato farmers
Farmers in Kano, one of Nigeria’s tomato hubs, testify to the devastation. Musa Alhassan, the chairman of tomato farmers in Samawa community, Garun Malam Local Government Area, recounted years of losses.
“I have been in this business for over 13 years and always recorded loss. Three years ago, I lost about N1.7 million. Last year, I spent more than N800,000 and got nothing in return,” he said.
But with NIHORT’s new technology, Alhassan is optimistic.
“They trained us, gave us pesticides and a newly innovated tray that arrests the worm before it destroys the farm. With this, I will come back with full force.”
For Sa’idu Kabiru, another farmer in Garun Malam, the initiative is nothing short of revolutionary.
“All the previous pesticides we used were ineffective. But this one was produced after thorough research by NIHORT. It will hopefully be a game changer.
“We can’t even quantify the losses we’ve suffered. Many farmers abandoned tomato farming because of this worm,” he said.
Mudassir Rabiu, an agricultural extension worker in charge of Garun Malam, described the pest as “hell for tomato farmers.”
He explained how the new tray works: “It has light and releases a fresh scent that attracts tuta, then kills it. Combined with the new pesticides, it is bringing respite to farmers who had given up.”