By CREAVAT CHITUTA
OVER 125,000 hectares of maize fields have been attacked by fall armyworms across the country, affecting 247,957 farming households so far in the 2024/2025 farming season.
Ministry of Agriculture Deputy Director in the Department of Agriculture Alick Daka disclosed that the average infestation rate nationwide is at 15.3 percent and has advised farmers to be proactive in scouting their fields for armyworms.
Mr Daka was speaking when he officiated the five day Integrated Pest Management training for Senior Agriculture Officers and Crop Husbandry Officers from all the 11 districts held at Kyafukuma Farmer Training Centre in Solwezi District.
He stated that by the first week of January 2025, the fall armyworm had affected 247,957 farming households with a total of 125,886.06 hectares in 1,997 out of 2,685 agricultural camps.
“As regards to the current period of the year that is 2024/2025 farming season, the fall armyworm has already been observed in the maize fields in most parts of the country. Currently, the average infestation rate countrywide is 15.3 %. By the first week of January 2025, the fall armyworm had affected 247,957 farming households with 125,886.06 hectares in 1,997 out of 2,685 agricultural camps,” Mr Daka said.
In responding to the occurrence of the fall armyworm, Mr Daka also revealed that government had procured 55,000 litres of numerous chemicals for the control of the pest that were distributed to all the 10 provinces of Zambia for pest control at a cost of K17,584,052.
“If the issue of fall armyworm integrated management is adopted, adapted, and practiced country-wide, such kind of money like K17, 584,052 if saved, can instead be channelled into other areas of need such as social economic amenities for the country,” Mr Daka said.
He was hopeful that after the training, most of the officers would be converted to integrated fall armyworm management gurus in maize including in any other crop of interest one might wish to cultivate.
Mr Daka further said the procurement of the chemicals; the ministry also procured 1,116 backpack sprayers worth K1, 740,000 for each of the 116 districts in the country where each district received 10 sprayers.
“The Ministry procured personal protective equipment, 1,392 two-piece work suits, and 1,392 PVC gum boots were procured at a total cost of K560 collectively,” Mr Daka added.
He further revealed that K5,802,500 was sent to the districts for the training of the camp extension officers and the farmers including K1,645,468.33 meant for monitoring fall armyworm activities in the districts.
Mr Daka, however, disclosed that a total of K27,718,580.33 had so far been spent to purchase work suits, gum boots, sprayers, and for training and monitoring of the officers/farmers and fall armyworm integrated management activities respectively in all the 116 districts in the country.
Provincial Agricultural Coordinator Muyobo Shimabale disclosed that over 19,000 hectares of fields have been affected by fall armyworms, which translates to 31,930 households affected in the North-Western Province.
“This season, 255 agriculture camps out of 315 have been affected by the fall armyworm in the province,” Mr Shimabale said.
Mr Shimbale further confirmed that the province received 5,000 litres of pesticide and 100 sprayers to combat the infestation of the pest in the province. –NAIS
