By Staff Writer 

In a move aimed at averting hunger and agricultural losses, Government has stepped in to provide free chemicals to eradicate the African armyworm.

Four provinces have been affected by an African Armyworm outbreak, with Government revealing that while the situation is under control and periodic assessments being done, significant maize and traditional grains crops are under attack.

“We have received updates from four provinces, Mashonaland Central, East, West, and Midlands where small grains are affected. As of now with the reports close to 192 hectares of maize have been affected, around 69 hectares of sorghum, and 32 pastures are affected,” said the Acting Director for the Department of Migratory Pests Control, Shingirai Nyamutukwa.

“We are dealing with a deadly organism which can wipe out the crop 100 percent within a day, this is a lean season with less water so there is a need for serious scouting be it daily that is what we are encouraging farmers, we are providing free chemicals, and we have so far assisted over 200 households to save the crop.”

Severe level of infestation not only reduces household incomes but causes hunger.

The African armyworm is closely related to the Fall armyworm but they have different behaviors and ecologies. FAW rarely displays the “armyworm” behavior of larvae massing and “marching” across fields. As a native to Africa, the African Armyworm faces a complex of natural biological enemies such as predators, parasitoids and diseases.