Don’t Despair in Stalk Borer Fight” – Western Province Minister Urges Farmers

Western Province Minister has urged farmers not to despair as government is working round the clock to ensure that the stalk borer attack in the province is contained.

The African maize stalk borer larva or Busseola fusca and is indigenous to Africa.
The larva or caterpillar stage in the life causes major damage to maize and sorghum crops throughout the region.

Speaking when he visited Sesheke District to appreciate the extent of the damage caused by maize stalk borers, Western Province Minister, Nathanial Mubukwanu said that farmers should continue working on their fields as more chemicals are distributed by Ministry of Agricultural officers.

Meanwhile, Ngangula Village headman Chaka Ngangula said that crops in his village have been battered by the maize stalk borers and that most of his constituents do not have money to buy chemicals.

He said that he was excited when he heard that government was giving free chemicals through the Ministry of Agriculture.

However, when Mr. Ngangula went to get the Agriculture office, the amount of chemicals he was given was not enough to cover his entire field.

“I have quite a large piece of maize field that I have to spray and the amount of chemical that I was given is not enough. Others have a number of hectares that have to be sprayed which needs more chemicals,” he said.
He requested the Minister to come to the farmers’ aid as they attempt to rescue their crops from this scourge.

In responding to the need for more chemicals, Sesheke District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO), Mr. Peter S. Kamusaki said that the district had received an initial 42 litres of Lambdacel and it has now received a further 50 litres of Cypermethrin. He said that although these litres are not enough, they will help cover more hectares of crop fields.

Furthermore, another farmer who was visited, Mr. Oscar Mulala expressed gratitude to the government for its commitment in the fight against Stalk borers in the province.

Mr. Mulala said that the visit on New Year’s Day by the team of the District Commissioner – Mr. Mubita Siyamana and the Provincial Agricultural Coordinator- Mr. Alex Chilala and now the Minister shows that government is indeed committed to fighting this problem.

He said that the whole district is affected and the situation needs be brought under control.
Mr. Mulala further said that the chemicals he received from Government have helped in the reduction of these pests in his fields.

“If you were here last week, you can easily see the difference in the amount of infestation by the stalk borers. They have significantly reduced compared to a week ago,” he said.

Mr. Mulala took the opportunity to reveal to the Minister that there is also another worm that has ravaged some fields in the area that has been identified as Grab Worm by Agricultural staff.

He said that this worm is eating the stalks of the plants just above the root system in the soil making the stalks to rot and the plants eventually drying off.

In responding to this concern, the DACO said that the same chemical that kills the stalk borer can also kill the Grab Worm.

He said that the chemical is systemic in action which means that whenever the pests feed on the sprayed plant, they would die.

He encouraged farmers to continue spraying to ensure that most of the pests ravaging the fields are brought under control.

By Cheelo Muloongo