27 Oct 2025

A devastating pest infestation has left vegetable farmers in the Shashe Bridge area near Francistown with thousands of Pula worth of cabbage crops destroyed.

The Diamondback Moth (DBM) pest which feeds on leaves and causes significant damage to crops has been identified as the culprit.

A local farmer from Shashe Bridge, Mr Mbonisi Moyo says he has lost an entire crop population of 10,000 cabbage seedlings valued at P100,000. 

"I am devastated. I have invested so much time and resources into planting this crop, and now it is all gone.  I have to start again from scratch," he said ruefully.

Mr Moyo explained that the attack on his filed by the Diamondback Moth came at a time when he was on the verge of a bountiful harvest. 

With the market saturated with cabbage and his crop ready for harvest, Mr. Moyo said he was unable to spray, and the pest destroyed his entire half-hectare farm.

"The timing of the attack couldn't have been worse, as I was poised to capitalise on the market demand,” he said, pointing that in a gesture of goodwill, he donated the damaged cabbage to local farmers for animal feed. 

Francistown District plant protection officer, Mr Reginald Gombalume said in an interview that the DBM has been a long-standing challenge for horticultural farmers in Botswana for many years.

Mr Gombalume advised farmers to regularly spray their crops with alternating pesticides in order to effectively manage the pest. He explained that the DBM is a significant threat to cabbage crops, spinach and rape and urged farmers to take proactive measures to prevent infestations.

"Farmers should have a proper calendar for spraying to suppress the pest's lifecycle," he advised, pointing that the approach could help reduce the DBM population and prevent infestations. 

“The pest is particularly prevalent during the summer months, making timely interventions crucial.
By adopting a proactive spraying schedule and using a range of pesticides, farmers can better protect their crops from the DBM and minimise losses.” ENDS