Obert Chifamba Manicaland Bureau
GOVERNMENT has put in place surveillance and early warning systems for emerging crop pests as part of efforts to improve plant health and pest management.
In a speech read on his behalf by Minister for State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Air Chief Marshall (Retired) Perence Shiri said control of pests was critical to achieve food security.
Minister Shiri was billed to address a Plant Health Awareness (Fall Armyworm Management Demonstration) Field Day at Mutema Irrigation Scheme, Ward 3 in Chipinge, on Thursday.
“Controlling of pests such as fall armyworm, fruit flies and tomato leaf miners are high on my Ministry’s agenda as we implement our 100 Day Programme. All the people here today form the most important gathering that will help the country to implement its 100 Day Programme because they are directly responsible for providing food and nutrition through ensuring plant health and improving management emerging of pests,” he said.
The event that was held against a backdrop of an outbreak of the fall armyworm in most areas across the country was attended by several Government officials and representatives of various Government departments, private sector representatives, development partners, traditional leaders, farmers and farmers’ organisations.
It also came at a time when Government has just launched plant health awareness campaigns and implementing activities to improve management of emerging pests.
Zimbabwe is facing outbreaks of new and old crop pests that are threatening agricultural production, food security, nutrition and trade. The emerging crop pests that have been reported during this 2017-18 cropping season include the fall armyworm and tomato leaf miner.
“If not managed properly, emerging crop pests have potential negative effects on yields, production costs, livelihoods and exports (agricultural trade). Some pests have been reported in more than one crop, for instance, Fall Armyworm has been reported in maize and sorghum.
“In 2017, Fall Armyworm was reported in all provinces across the country hence we are strengthening surveillance, awareness management and control systems,” observed Minister Shiri.
He added that his Ministry would continue providing the much-needed services to address challenges in production, productivity and product quality, as well as improving agricultural research and development.
The Ministry is also strengthening training, surveillance, awareness and management of plant pests with training being carried out across the country. To date, 240 fall armyworm traps and 20 African armyworm traps have been installed throughout the country as early warning tools.
A total of 20 knapsack sprayers will also be distributed in 30 rural wards of the country in the next 100 days as part of capacitating farmers in managing fall armyworm.
Mutema Irrigation Scheme farmers also received 20 knapsack sprayers from Minister Shiri to use in their fight against fall armyworm.
Government has also facilitated the temporal registration of chemicals to be used in the control of fall armyworm.