Mkushi District of Central Province has received a consignment of chemicals from the government to control the outbreak of the fall armyworms that have ravaged maize fields across the district, affecting about 1, 000 farmers.
The batch, which was delivered through the Ministry of Agriculture, included 53 boxes each of Emamectin Benzoate and Karate.
Acting District Agricultural Coordinator Kennedy Mwale told ZANIS in an interview that the pest has been reported in several farming blocks, posing a risk to crop yields if not addressed promptly.
He said the chemicals are enough to cover 5,741 hectares of maize fields, adding that distribution has commenced and affected farmers have started spraying their fields in a bid to control the pest.
“When these fall armyworms are not controlled quickly, the quality of the crop and the yield can be compromised,” Mr Mwale said.
Mr Mwale encouraged farmers to continue monitoring their fields for quick response and control of the spread of the fall armyworms.
Meanwhile, Kasansama Camp Zone Representative Asla Changwe, has encouraged affected farmers to promptly collect the chemicals and cooperate with agricultural officers during spraying.
“I am urging all the affected farmers to come and collect the chemicals so that they spray their fields in order to defeat the infestation of the fall armyworms,” she said.
Farmers in the area have thanked the government for what they describe as timely intervention.
One of the farmers, Elizabeth Banda, said the chemicals will help save the maize fields and ensure a good harvest once the pest is controlled.
“We are really grateful to the government for coming to our aid. Our maize fields were nearly destroyed by these armyworms. But with the coming of these chemicals, our crops will be safe,” she said.
And another farmer, Roydah Musonda, explained that they had tried several cultural methods like using ash, chili, and sand to control the pest, but all to no avail.
“We tried using various methods like ash, sand, and chili to control the pest, but it continued spreading and destroying our crops. The coming of chemicals will really help us since everything has failed,” she said.
