Priscilla Mosigisi-Mboya is the regional manager for Eastern Africa at GrainPro Kenya covering Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan. The document discusses environmentally friendly options for pest control in grain storage and shipping. Common fumigation practices using phosphine gas are problematic as the gas is highly toxic, flammable, and improper use fails to kill all stages of insects. The document promotes ultra-hermetic storage and CO2 fushing as natural, safe alternatives that create inhospitable conditions for insects by reducing oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide levels.

1. Priscilla Mosigisi-Mboya
Regional Manager-EASTERN AFRICA
Covering: Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia,
Sudan & South Sudan
GrainPro Kenya, Inc.
Shop A2, Space Apartments
Mai Mahiu Road, Near T Mall
Nairobi, KENYA

2. Environment-friendly options for pest control in the grain
trade
What is “fumigation” of agricultural products
• Kill any form of infestation in the agricultural
commodity
• Address all stages of insect development: adults,
pupae, larvae and eggs
• The target is to reach LT 99 =lethal target: 99% of
all form of infestation eliminated
• Most common fumigants are Methyl Bromide
(much of it being phased out by the Montreal
protocol of 1987) and Phosphine (PH3).
• Non toxic fumigation is possible.

3. Problems with common fumigation
practices
• PH3 is the most common fumigant
• In many places in Africa it can be obtained freely
without supervision or restriction.
• PH3 is highly toxic when inhaled. It is flammable
when in contact with water.
• In the developed world PH3 applications are
restricted to licensed professional fumigators
• In Europe and the US legal (EPA) restrictions on
the use of PH3 make commercial use increasingly
impossible.

4. Conventional Warehouse
Fumigation, once covers are
removed, exposure to moisture
continues.

5. Improper use of PH3
• PH3 can work effectively if released in a gas tight
environment. Exposure times of plm 10 days are a
requirement
• Commonly exposure times are reduced. Standard
exposure time for “port fumigation” ( often required by
local phytosanitary service) is 3 days.
• In three days eggs are not affected and reinfestation
during shipping is a common phenomena causing
complaints by receiver of the infested goods.
• Most fumigators have little or no experience with
creating gas tight environments to ensure a proper gas
concentration during treatment

6. So what is the solution??? 1
• Ultra hermetic storage protects against
infestation:
• “Natural respiration of the grain will bring
the storage atmosphere to a level of low O2
(<3%) and high CO2 (>10%) under which
different stages of insects cannot survive”

7. 7
The Cocoon Principle
7
EXTERNAL PARAMETERS
Structural Parameters
O2
INSECTS
HUMIDITY
TEMPERATURE
CO2
TEMPERATURE
INTERNAL PARAMETERS
FOREIGN
MATTER
MOISTURE
O2
INSECTS
MOISTURE
MICROFLORA
COMMODITY
CO2

8. CO2 Flushing Step by Step 5
•

9. CO2 application

10. CAAO2 fumigation Kuwait
•
Fumigation and maintenance of basmati rice

11. CO2 Flushing Shipping
Containers
CO2 applications in shipping containers are environmentally
safe and cost saving......

12. Shipping Containers-
Experimental Setup
•

13. GrainPro Inc
200 Baker Ave, Suite 309, Concord MA 01742, USA
Tel.+1-978-371-7118 Fax +1-978-371-7411 sales@grainpro.com
GrainPro Phils Inc
Lot 46 Efficiency Avenue, Subic Bay Gateway Park I, Subic Bay Freeport
Zone 2222 Philippines
Tel: +63 47 252 7884Fax: +63 47 252 7885 salesasia@grainpro.com
GrainPro Kenya Inc
Space Appartments A2, off Mai Mahiu Road opp. Magharibi Place
Nairobi West. Tel: +254732295631, +254710933717
saleseafrica@grainpro.com

14. Asanteni
Sana
Priscilla Mosigisi-Mboya
Regional Manager-EASTERN
AFRICA
Covering: Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia,
Sudan & South Sudan
GrainPro Kenya, Inc.
Shop A2, Space Apartments
Mai Mahiu Road, Near T Mall
Nairobi, KENYA