Posted on March, 5, 2019 at 09:25 am
FALL armyworm (FAW) have destyroyed hundreds of maize farms in Mbeya Region, forcing some farmers to shift from cultivating maize crop to other crops such as Irish potatoes.
The farmers at Inyala, Igurusi and Chimala wards say, so far no any pesticide that has worked out effectively and efficiently to smoke out the pests and other associated diseases, despite buying the pesticides at higher prices.
According to agriculture researchers and scientists, the FAW also known as Spodoptera frugiperda is native to America, and was firstly observed in Nkhasi District, Rukwa Region in southern highlands in March 2017.
The pest feeds on more than 80 host plants and crops including cereals, pulses and horticultural crops that are important staple food and cash crops.
It is reported to have spread in more than 15 regions including the major maize growing areas in the southern highlands, northern, lake, western and eastern agricultural zones.
According to the farmers at Inyala ward in Mbeya rural district, the FAW had caused huge destruction for the consecutive third year discouraging some of them who had now decided to abandon growing maize, instead they have shifted to growing Irish potatoes as an alternative crop for food, cash and income.
One of the farmers at Inyala ward, Fidelis Mabena said that he cultivated five acres of maize but two acres had been destroyed by FAW. He said he had applied several pesticides which he bought at 5,000/ per bottle but all in vain.
“I have decided to grow Irish potatoes on part of the farm I used to grow maize because I am not sure of the maize harvest. I have spent much money for maize but FAW had destroyed two acres of my maize,” he said.
This year, Frola Mwanzepene and Tausi Mwalyoyo said their farms had also been hit by FAW. They cultivated one acre and half each but half of their maize had been destroyed. They said they will not now get any produce.
“Here we call the disease as Mbenya, but our experience show that in the past we used to kill them by spraying pesticides, but for these three years, once we apply the pesticide, after some time, they return to the fields,” said Frola
They said that unlike other pests and diseases, the FAW multiply rapidly when there is no rain, but when the rains come, their number decrease.
Acting village executive officer for Inyala village Furaha Mwalongo said the farmers supply of food and incomes had been reduced because FAW had affected almost every farmer in the ward.
The VEO said she has grown maize but half of the crop had been destroyed by pests.
“I planted the maize in December last year, but after two weeks half of the farm had been destroyed by FAW. I applied several pesticides such as Karate but did not kill the notorious pests,” she said.
Scientists say the pest can survive all year round due to availability of host and favourable climatic conditions. Favourable climatic conditions availability of hosts throughout the year and ability to affect all stages of plant development makes the control of FAW difficult.
Director of Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)-Selian Centre, Dr. Joseph Ndunguru stressed on the importance of technology transfer to the farmers to fight against crop diseases and pests to help the farmers increase productivity.
Commenting on rapid spreading of crop diseases and pests recently, Minister for Agriculture Japhet Hasunga said that the pests and diseases pose a big challenge, so the government has directed extension officers to make sure that the pesticides to smoke them out reach the
farmers in prone regions such as Mbeya, Katavi and Rukwa.
However, scientists still believe that although not completely panacea to the pests, but the GMO products can alleviate the problem of FAW and other pests to high percentage. They said although still in confined trials at Makutupora, in Dodoma, once allowed and released, would help many farmers to increase crop productivity.
Source: IPP Media