Armyworms threaten food security in Nsanje

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Armyworms

Over 10,000 farmers in Nsanje district may face hunger this year following the invasion of armyworms which have attacked crops in the district.

Maize and sorghum are the most seriously attacked crops and agricultural authorities in the district say even when the farmers spray chemicals to kill the pests, the armyworms are not dying. Agricultural Extension Areas (EPA) in Nsanje such as Magoti, Zunde, Nyachil¬¬enda, Mpatsa and Makhanga are most hit by the pests.

Armyworms
Armyworms: Destroying crops. (Google image).

The pests which were first identified in Zambia last year, have since destroyed few hectares in two of the five extension planning areas of Nsanje.

Now each and every farmer is talking of the pests which are a threat to food security to thousands of farmers in Nsanje district.

According to one of the farmers Mozalande Phiri from Mpatsa EPA, the worms attack the stalks of maize and sorghum and even if a farmer tries to apply pesticides in order to kill them, the pests do not die.

Meanwhile the farmers say government needs to intensify its fight against the outbreak of the armyworms in question if the country is to be food secure.

Last year, the country succeeded in containing the worms’ invasion but this year things are not of that kind.

Apart from Nsanje, the armyworms are reported to have attacked eight other districts in the country where over 2,000 hectares of crop fields have been affected.

In 2015 Malawi was hit hard by floods while last year it was droughts, both of which led to many Malawians being affected by hunger.

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33 Comments

  1. I think Government should do a research to deal all the problems affect this year’s crops. Here at Thyolo chimanga chambiri chasanduka ndipo mbozi patalipa zikupezeka

  2. zinalembedwa kale osaiwala banana anatha kale noway we can solve this fault pray to Lord to sav•••

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