Phalombe hit by armyworms

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Armyworms

Armyworms have destroyed 60 hectares of maize in Phalombe East Constituency, according to Member of Parliament for the area Amos Mailosi, Malawi24 can report.

Armyworms have been a problem for a long time in Malawi and in 2010 they attacked nine districts in the country and destroyed 5,000 hectares of crops.

Mailosi said the armyworms have affected areas like Mamazambala, Madeya, and Kapito in the district.

Armyworms
Armyworms: Destroying crops. (Google image).

“The armyworms have affected most villages with Nkhulani and Nazombe being the worst hit and we linked up with the district’s agricultural development office who applied pesticides,” said Mailosi.

He further said that they still need help as the problem would cause hunger since the district feeds the nation.

“We are appealing to government through the ministry of agriculture to help us, we grow a lot of crops which feeds the nation and this outbreak is a blow to us,” he said.

Phalombe district is one of the districts that were affected by floods which destroyed crops in the last growing season.