Kapiri receives chemicals for army worms

Kapiri Mposhi district has started receiving chemicals and equipment meant for spraying farms that have been invaded by army worms.

The District has received hundreds of bottles of cypermethrin and Lambda – Wipe to distribute to affected farmers in the area to spray against the pests that have invaded most farms and eating newly planted and germinating crops, mostly maize.

Napsack sprayers, working suits and gumboots have also been delivered to the district for officers who will be engaged in spraying the fields.

Acting District Agricultural Coordinating Officer, Muchula Kanyata, confirmed the receipt of the chemicals and equipment during an emergency District Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DDMMU) committee meeting held at the District Commissioner’s office on yesterday.

Mr Kanyata explained that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has since started delivering the chemicals to the farming camps and is dispatching extension officers to the affected agricultural camps to commence with the spraying exercise.

“As of today, we have received 10 X 20 bottles of cypermethrin and 15 X 12 bottles of Lambda – Wipe. The district has also received 12 Napsack sprayers, eight work suits and six pairs of gumboots,” Mr Kanyata said.

“This is just one of the intervention measures by the Ministry of Agriculture. Each bottle of 500 ml cypermethrin can spray up to two hectares of land while a litre of Lambda – Wipe can be sprayed on 2.5 hectares of maize field. We are also expecting a chemical called Guru anytime this week. Our extension officers are already on the ground helping farmers on how to spray their affected fields,” Mr Kanyata further said.

Mr Kanyata revealed that over 4000 small scale farmers in Kapiri Mposhi district have had their fields invaded by the pests, which have swarmed about 3000 hectares of land with newly planted crops.

He further disclosed that 20 out of the 30 agricultural camps in Kapiri Mposhi have been invaded by army worms, adding that nine camps are heavily infested.

Mr Kanyata named the nine heavily infested agricultural camps as Chibwe, Kaunga, Kapandwe, Lunashimba and Lukanga.

Others include Chilumba, Kato Mpunde and Musosoloke agricultural camps.

Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has procured and distributed spray chemicals to farmers in the district.

World Vision – Zambia has distributed 100 X 100 bottles of cypremethrin to farmers in Musosoloke area in Senior Chief Chipepo’s area of the Lenje people in Kapiri Mposhi.

Mr Kanyata confirmed that World Vision – Zambia is working with government through the Ministry of Agriculture to assist the affected farmers.

He further said other agri-business entities have also made available the chemicals to the farmers.

“I would also want to say that SEEDCO and BASF have stocked cypermethrin for our farmers who may not benefit from the government distributed chemicals,” said Kanyata.

And a farmer has lost over ten hectares of his maize to the army worms.

During an on-the-spot check at his farm in Luanshimba Agricultural Camp, Darlington Suntile complained that the army worms have so far destroyed over 10 hectares of his maize field.

“I have lost 10 hectares of my maize field. And I am remaining with 15 hectares, which I managed to spray with some chemicals,” said Mr Suntile.

But Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner, Beatrice Sikazwe, has assured farmers whose fields have been invaded by the army worms of government’s commitment to addressing the issue of the pests.

Ms Sikazwe commended other stakeholders such World Vision –Zambia that are helping government in addressing the problem of army worms in the district.

“Our farmers should not lose hope. Government, with other partners, is doing everything possible to ensure that the problem of army worms is addressed because this is a national disaster and we just have to go flat out to assess and help our farmers”, Ms Sikazwe said.

Other than spraying the infested fields, the Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on sensitization activities aimed at enlightening farmers about other preventive measures such the digging of furrows around their fields.

ZANIS