How to store maize so weevils never get a foothold
In many East African stores, the harvest is won in the field and lost in the bag. Weevils and related storage pests can take a large share of maize before the next planting season. Molepse was built to close that gap — but the product only works if the grain is stored well.
Field tests with maize and beans farmers in Murang’a showed that treated, properly stored grain can last six months: long enough to reach the next season. These are the steps we recommend alongside Dudukit, Dudumit, oil or powder.
1. Dry the grain completely
Never treat or bag damp maize. Moisture invites insects and aflatoxin-producing moulds. Spread cobs or grain in the sun, turn it often, and only store when kernels are hard and dry to the bite.
Farmers must completely dry their grains before applying the pesticide, and store them on raised, aerated granaries to protect them from aflatoxins.
2. Clean the store
Sweep cribs, silos and sacks of old grain, dust and webbing. Leftover infested maize is the easiest way for weevils to re-enter a new harvest. Repair holes in bags and keep cats, chickens and rain out of the store.
3. Apply a botanical protectant
Molepse bio-resource oil or powder can be applied directly to dried grain. Dudukit is inserted into the storage bag after the seal is opened and is designed to last up to six months without reapplication. Both kill and repel larvae and live weevils.
The formula is extracted from locally growing insecticidal plants. It is intended as an organic alternative to harsh synthetic fumigants, at a price smallholders can meet.
4. Keep stores raised and aired
Place bags on pallets or a raised granary floor. Airflow reduces heat and mould. Avoid stacking treated grain against damp walls. Check the store monthly for hot spots, holes or the first signs of insects.
Done together — dry grain, a clean store, Molepse treatment, and a raised granary — these steps are how a harvest stays food until the next rains.