02 Mar 2020

The outbreak of Fall Armyworm in Moshupa and surrounding farmlands is said to be under control.

In an Interview with BOPA, The Agronomist at the Moshupa Department of Crop Production, Ms Faith Tibone  said there was no need to panic as the situation was under control, adding that even farmers had taken necessary steps. 

“We are on the ground together with the farmers managing the situation. In fact last year we held pre-season sensitization to alert our farmers about some of the challenges that they can encounter,” she said.

She said early surveliance had necessitated their preparedness.

Ms Tibone shared that about 73 farmers had reported cases of Fall armyworm invasion in their farms, adding that majority of them had used the traditional method of control while about 10 per cent used the modern control method.

She said, damage had occurred ‘along a broad band’ including Ranaka, Tswaane, Goo-Kodisa and Manyana and other areas in the Moshupa surrounding.

Ms Tibone therefore called on grain producers to be on the lookout for larvae, especially in the whorl formed by the leaves, as the larvae fed within the whorl. 

She indicated that larger larvae could even cut plants off at the base, adding that the worm had potential to cause more damage to crops at seedling stage.

Ms Tibone noted that mature plants were attacked on reproductive structures.

In its larval stage, it could cause significant damage to crops, and despite its preference for maize, the worm fed on more than 80 species of plants, including sorghum and millet.

She said the worm had spread in Botswana recently, adding that since 2019, the pest had spread across the sub-Saharan Africa.

“I call on producers to use traditional method of control through hand picking and destroying the worm,”she said.

Ms Tibone indicated that government could not assist in provision of chemicals, but advised farmers to use cyphemethrin to control the pest.

She noted that in cases where farmers could not afford to buy chemical they could resort to traditional methods, adding that this season’s early, dry hot summer followed by good rain formed the ideal conditions for the worm outbreak.

She however noted that damage caused on the fields was also minimised as a result of the occurrences of rains which came in the past week.

“Rain also has potential of washing away the worms thus killing it,”she said.

According to Ms Tibone farmers were the first line of defence in the prevention of any pest and disease outbreaks. She said regular scouting was imperative.

 “We have to act proactively to nip the outbreaks in the bud,” she said. She indicated that one way of doing that was through ensuring regular and timely exercise of tidiness in the farm, which includes removal of weeds in the field.

Ms Keamogetse Atlhopheng  a farmer at Motsheo lands, near Letlhakane West, said, was one of those whose farms were attacked by the worm. She said she was recovering after having used the hand picking method to destroy the worm.

She said, after having done that, she was pleased that there was notable positive changes to her plants. “We call on the government to intervene and consider providing free pesticides to the farmers as the worm has potential to cause zero harvest in our production,”she said.  Ends