Finding FCM fast: project initiated to deliver automated and early insights for better control in Kenyan roses.

Aliki Pantou
May 15
3 min read

The false codling moth (FCM) is causing serious trouble for Kenya’s rose growers. This tiny pest threatens a $300 million industry and thousands of jobs. To stay ahead, growers need better ways to spot issues early and act swiftly. That is why PATS has teamed up with 10 rose farms across the country to take a fresh approach: using smart monitoring to better understand FCM, improve control strategies, and facilitate stakeholder management.

A big challenge: False codling moth in Kenyan floriculture The False codling moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) poses a growing threat to Kenya’s rose sector, as it is an invasive species in Europe. Approximately 70% of Kenya's cut flower exports are destined for European markets, with roses comprising about 66% of these exports. Due to increased vigilance, inspection rates have surged from 5% to 25%, leading to costly interceptions, rejected shipments, and even temporary closures of greenhouses.

In 2024, at least 95 shipments were rejected, with an estimated cost of $1 million. These developments place intense pressure on growers and exporters to improve pest control and demonstrate compliance. To meet these demands, while also reducing reliance on interventions, the industry urgently needs a reliable, standardized system for pest monitoring and decision-making. Such a system must be tailored to the dynamics of FCM and support both optimized pest control and effective risk management to align involved stakeholders.

A proven solution, now focused on FCM in roses

Building on several years of experience, PATS has launched a dedicated FCM monitoring project in Kenya, with support of various stakeholders. The goal of the project is to validate and enhance the use of PATS-C specifically for FCM management in roses. This industry is a vital pillar of Kenya’s economy, generating over $300 million in annual rose exports and providing employment to more than 50,000 Kenyans. Protecting its integrity and long-term viability is critical, not only for growers and exporters, but for the communities and livelihoods that depend on it.

The FCM monitoring project

Since the start of 2025, PATS has partnered with 10 leading rose growers, including Bilashaka Flowers, Vegpro, Nini, and Van den Berg Roses, to roll out PATS-C technology for targeted FCM monitoring. These farms are now continuously capturing high-resolution data on moth flight activity, with the goal of better understanding FCM dynamics and supporting real-time pest management. The project focuses on several key activities:

Continuous monitoring of adult FCM activity using PATS-C systems across multiple greenhouse zones.
Data comparison and validation, matching PATS-C results with on-farm scouting data such as egg counts, adult trap captures, and visible crop damage, to evaluate accuracy and inform decision-making.
Species differentiation and recognition model improvement, through structured experiments that help refine the PATS-C insect profile specifically for FCM.

This approach ensures the solution is not only validated in Kenyan greenhouse conditions, but also optimized to deliver actionable insights to growers working on pest management on a daily basis.

Two goals to support growers

This project is set-up to deliver value at two levels. Firstly the system should provide growers with real-time insights and a tool to better manage moth pests, measure intervention outcomes, and support smarter, more sustainable IPM practices. And secondly, it should result in a decision support system (DSS) specifically for FCM that helps growers decide when to intensify measures or when to stop exporting from affected greenhouses, reducing the risk of interceptions and losses.

Looking ahead

This project will run for at least a year, with further development depending on progress and user feedback. It is PATS’ goal is to establish a robust, affordable monitoring tool that supports:

Precise and timely pest control
Reduced (chemical) inputs
Better risk management, specifically for FCM
Full alignment with EU and Kenyan export standards

More information on this project is available via sales@pats-drones.com