Chongwe District Senior Agriculture Officer, Whiteson Kasuba, has urged farmers in the district to adopt the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) model to effectively address pest outbreaks in their fields.
Mr. Kasuba noted that climate change has led to increased outbreaks of economically harmful pests such as fall armyworms and Tuta absoluta, which threaten the country’s food security. He therefore called on farmers to integrate the IPM model into their farming practices.
He explained that using sustainable agricultural practices under the IPM model, such as biological control methods, not only protects the environment from damage but also enables farmers to achieve higher crop yields, thereby enhancing food security.
Mr. Kasuba made the remarks during a bio-control field day organized by the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) at Honda Agriculture Camp in Chongwe District.
He stated that the Ministry of Agriculture, through the government’s agricultural policy, is promoting IPM—implemented by CABI among farmers across the country—as a safer and more sustainable strategy to control pests and crop diseases.
Mr. Kasuba further encouraged farmers in Chongwe to be receptive to the innovative farming practices demonstrated by CABI and CIMMYT during the field day, as these can improve crop production and livelihoods.
“May I implore our farmers to be open-minded and embrace the innovations demonstrated and shared by CABI and CIMMYT, which will help you adopt sustainable food production methods, build healthy families, and contribute to a food-secure nation,” Mr. Kasuba said.
He thanked the two organizations for pioneering IPM and other pest control measures in the district.
Speaking on behalf of CABI Southern Africa Regional Director, Dr. Natasha Mwila, CABI Food and Safety Scientist, Andela Kangwa, said IPM remains one of the most effective pest management approaches as it leverages multiple practical pest control methods.
Ms. Kangwa explained that the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in farming contributes to the loss of biodiversity within micro-environments and poses risks to human health, underscoring the need for safer pest management alternatives.
“In instances where chemical pesticides are abused or overused, resulting in harm to both the environment and humans, the need for safer pest management alternatives cannot be overemphasized,” Ms. Kangwa said.
She added that CABI, with support from CIMMYT, is working closely with farmers in Chongwe through the Ministry of Agriculture to demonstrate practical IPM approaches that include the organization’s farmer biopesticide initiative at a demonstration plot where the field visit was held.
Ms. Kangwa further revealed that the organization is also promoting the first commercialized fall armyworm-tolerant hybrid maize seed in the country, developed by CIMMYT.
She commended farmers in the camp for their willingness and commitment to learning how to integrate IPM into their farming practices.
