Armyworm infestation threatens crops in Zimbabwe

After two years of drought, incessant rains in most parts of Zimbabwe had raised hope that food shortages would be eased, but the outbreak of armyworms now raises a new threat to the crops, especially the country’s staple food – Maize.

Farmers in Zimbabwe fear that President Robert Mugabe’s government is taking too long to provide pesticides and education to deal with the pest which might prolong the country’s food shortages.

One of the farmers in Mazowe District about 50 miles north of the country’s capital Harare, Tatenda Mapfumo has appealed to the government and fellow farmers to fight the worm targeting his crops.

“I would want to tell the minister of agriculture in Zimbabwe to control the worm. They shouldn’t take it for granted. It will actually reduce our yield,” he said.

He also expressed that he lacks the money needed to buy enough pesticides to fight the outbreak.

Deutsche Welle reports that the armyworm got its name because the invasive species travels in “armies” and consumes everything in its path.

Some experts however believe that the armyworm might have come into Zimbabwe through food importation.

Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of southern Africa, is largely dependent on food assistance due to the 2015-2016 drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon. This has been coupled with the chaotic land-reform program that removed white commercial farmers from their land.

Reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations had earlier indicated that about one million people will need food assistance in Zimbabwe until March when the harvest season begins. But with the spread of the armyworm, that assistance may need to be extended.

However, the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa, Chimimba Phiri has assured the Zimbabwean farmers that the FAO will ensure that the problem of armyworm would not have an impact on the issue of food insecurity.

“Communities and farmers that notice something strange should report it so that action can be taken as soon as quickly as possible, otherwise there is a contagion spreading from farm to farm and eventually from country to country,” he said.

Phri pointed that the armyworm species called “Fall” was first seen in Nigeria.

“The problem with the FALL armyworm is that it is not easily controllable with chemicals unless it has been identified on a farm an early stage,” he said.

The United Nations however reports that the armyworm is now also being reported in Zambia and Malawi.