Corporation Program worth KSh 50Mn Signed to Control Armyworms

A technical cooperation program worth 50 million shillings has been signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to be used in the control of the Fall Armyworm (FAW).

According to FAO’s Country Representative Gabriel Rugalema, some of the money has been used to procure a FAW surveillance kit, to be distributed in some of the affected regions.

“This kit consists of moth culture and the necessary refills, traps, and strips to be used for surveillance in the hot spot regions after which the extent of infestation will be determined,” said Gabriel Rugalema.

The Cabinet Secretary of Agriculture Willy Bett disclosed that the joint sub-regional emergency response to FAW is meant to build on the success of a similar approach used for the African Armyworm (AAW) in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania and will strengthen and complement FAW control actions as country level.

“Rural communities will be empowered to effectively monitor the situation of both fall forecast infestations in their respective localities and initiate timely and effective management actions for both the armyworms to minimize and or avoid crop losses,” said the Willy Bett.

Bett said that the regions where FAW is not yet reported, an effective monitoring system will aid in early detection and rapid containment of the pest.

The pest which was first reported in Africa in 2016 now presents a permanent agricultural challenge for the continent as FAW feeds on more than 80 per cent crops, with a preference for maize and can as well cut yields by up to 60 percent.

Early this year, the Ministry of Agriculture Ministry announced the invasion of the Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Western, North and South Rift regions of the country in counties such as Baringo, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kericho, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Siaya and Uasin Gishu.

The most affected counties were Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, and Bungoma.

As a result of the army worm infestation, statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries projected that maize harvest for 2017 will be 32 million bags down from 42 million bags harvested in 2016.