Farmers urged to report pests early to protect nat...

Farmers urged to report pests early to protect national yield

Zim Now Writer

Farmers have been urged to watch out for pests and report any immediate siting to relevant authorities so the problem can be nipped in the bud before it becomes a national disaster.

“We encourage farmers to scout their fields for worms such as African armyworms and stalk borers. They should be on the lookout because once it reaches us, the crops can be wiped off. We are encouraging them to report to their nearest Agritex officers so that we assist them in terms of control,” said acting director responsible for Migratory pests and bio security control in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Shingirai Nyamutukwa

“Government buys chemicals for such pests,” said Nyamutukwa said there is no record of any outbreak yet.

An African armyworm outbreak is a sudden occurrence of very large numbers of caterpillars, causing extensive damage to crops and the moths often come with the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone winds that bring rains into Zimbabwe from Tanzania.

They then lay eggs in areas where host plants are growing.

The armyworm damages cereal crops such as maize, sorghum and millet.

Pests, if not controlled, are threat to crops and reduce yields, according to Nyamutukwa.

Zimbabwe is targeting food security through maximising harvests of crucial crops like maize.

The last African armyworm outbreak in Zimbabwe was experienced in January this year in the Muzarabani area of Mashonaland West Province.