The recent heavy rains may have brought relief to drought-stricken farmers, but they have also unleashed a new nightmare as African armyworms and fall armyworms wreak havoc on crops and pastures across the country.
The destructive pests have been spotted devouring fields in Mosisedi, Mokatako, Molete, Mmalore, and Mokgomane around the Barolong farming areas.
Following last season’s brutal drought that wiped out crops and pastures, farmers were finally looking forward to a recovery season, especially for grain crops like maize and sorghum. Unfortunately, the crop-munching invaders that thrive in wet conditions have thrown a spanner in the works, leaving devastation in their wake and threatening food security.
Assistant Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr. Edwin Dikoloti, has called for urgent interventions to contain the outbreak.
Speaking on the sidelines of National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) memorandum of understanding signings with Insect Factory and Pinnacle Geomatics, Dikoloti said the worms have put the economic value of farming at risk. “We are at a time in which disaster is threatening our food security with an urgent need to combat infestation of armyworms and fall armyworm,” he said, and advised farmers to report any sightings of the African armyworm and the fall armyworm.
Farmers in the Borolong area have already sounded the alarm at the sight of the pests, prompting the ministry to launch a full-scale farm inspection to assess the extent of the outbreak and to respond accordingly to the attack.
The insatiable worms, upon feasting on the plants, spread rapidly to other plants, leaving a trail of devastation. As of last week, emergency spraying operations were deployed in the affected farms to stop the damage.
For his part, NARDI Chief Executive Officer, Professor Julius Atlhopheng, emphasized the need for sustainable solutions. He said some of the chemicals are harmful as they end up persisting in the environment and causing pollution. “So, with bio-pesticides, they have to be biodegradable, therefore protecting the fauna and flora,” he said, emphasizing the importance of research to tackle the armyworm without harming the ecosystem.
The last time Botswana experienced an armyworm outbreak was in 2017 after the country received above-normal rains influenced by the Dineo Cyclone. History seems to have repeated itself this year, leaving farmers on edge as they brace for another food crisis.
