By Faridat Salifu
Nigeria is piloting a new crop protection technology that could reduce farmers’ reliance on chemical pesticides in the fight against fall armyworm, one of the country’s most destructive maize pests.
The technology, known as Sentinel X, recently underwent pilot trials in Kaduna and Kano states as part of efforts to promote more sustainable pest management while improving maize productivity and strengthening food security.
Speaking in Abuja, General Manager of Prexea Technologies Limited, Martha Solomon, said the technology uses photonic light technology and artificial intelligence to activate a plant’s natural defence mechanisms instead of relying on conventional insecticides.
She said the approach helps maize plants resist fall armyworm attacks, reducing crop losses, lowering production costs and minimising the environmental impacts associated with repeated pesticide applications.
According to Solomon, Sentinel X consists of two components: Sentinel X Pest Control, which serves as an alternative to insecticides, and Sentinel X Crop Booster, designed to enhance crop growth across different agricultural commodities.
She said pilot trials conducted in collaboration with the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture, the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency, the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, agricultural extension officers and farmers showed promising results under local farming conditions.
The trials, she said, attracted interest from government agencies and farmers seeking sustainable alternatives to conventional pest control methods.
Solomon explained that extension workers and field agents would support farmers with the deployment of the technology using farm coordinates, making it accessible to both commercial and smallholder farmers.
Fall armyworm continues to pose a major threat to maize production in Nigeria, causing significant yield losses and increasing farmers’ dependence on repeated pesticide applications.
Stakeholders said wider adoption of innovative pest management technologies could help improve food production while reducing chemical use and supporting environmentally sustainable agriculture.
