Lira farmers urged to fight African Armyworm

LIRA – The Lira district agricultural officer, Dorcus Aluma has advised farmers in the Lango sub-region to take measures that can kill African Armyworm which has invaded several districts across the country.

Alum said the worms are not only attacking plants such as maize, millet, sorghum, beans, rice and coffee but also destroying leaves and pastures.      

The Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] has reported the outbreak of African Armyworm in over 40 districts in the country.

The government has deployed UPDF soldiers to fight the worms which have so far destroyed over 1300 acres of crops and rangeland, according to a report delivered to parliament by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.

“We should not give them [worms] time to spread and destroy our crops, let us descend on them and kill using insecticide,” she said.

Early this month the ministry reported the outbreak in 12 districts across the country. The districts were Luwero, Mukono, Wakiso, Katakwi, Bukedea, Bugweri, Serere, Busia, Bugiri, Mityana, Kiryandongo and Namutumba.

But according to the government, more districts have been invaded by the deadly worms which damage crops and have diverse effects on growth and yields of the plants.

Alum said the cases have been reported in Lira, Oyam, Kwania and Dokolo and that farmers should not sit and wait but quickly spray them using insecticide.

Five years ago the worms attacked the country and were responsible for the loss of at least 450,000 tonnes of maize. By then Uganda was producing close to four million tonnes annually.

The ministry`s public relations manager, Charotte Kamigysha quoted the scientists as saying the worm can be controlled using an insecticide (cypermethrin) mixed in five liters of water.

“We are working with the production and marketing teams at the district and sub-county levels to control the outbreak,” Kamigysha said.

“It is worth noting that this outbreak or invasion is as a result of climate change but we expect that it will be suppressed by the rains,” she adds.

Uganda has mostly a tropical climate characterized by unstable rainfall patterns. However, the effects of climate change have turned the seasons around with the country experiencing shorter or longer rains and harsher droughts.

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