Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement is training peri-urban farmers in Harare on the identification and control of the fall armyworm, a pest that has wreaked havoc in most farming areas.

The programme is part of the 100-day quick wins programme.

The Ministry’s Department of Plant Protection and Research Institute (PPRI) recently trained scores of peri-urban farmers at Eyerstone Farm in Harare South Ward One.

The training included the importance of scouting the fields, identification of the fall armyworm, available chemicals and correct control measures. PPRI acting director, Mr Shingirayi Nyamutukwa said the training also included practicals to ensure effective control of the pest.

“The training is meant at to capacitate farmers with knowledge and resources to fight the fall armyworm. We will also distribute knapsack sprayers and chemicals and teach the farmers on how best to carry out the spraying.

“We are encouraging farmers to constantly scout their crops so that they can identify pest infestation early before the pests would have done extensive damage to the crop. We also recommend the safe use of chemicals,” he said.

He said farmers had been having challenges identifying the fall armyworm with others mistaking other crops pests with the fall armyworm.

Mr Nyamutukwa said it was important for the farmer to correctly identify the pest for effective control measures.

“By correctly identifying the pest, the farmer will be able to use the correct control measures,” he said. He raised concern over the fall armyworm, which he said was different from the traditional African armyworm that was easy to control.

“The fall armyworm does not only appear on the surface and it is difficult to control. It is better to control the best at the stage of eggs. Farmers should be able to identify eggs and squash them or they can spray when the maize is still young for effective control,” he said.

Harare South farmers coordinator, Mr Fungai Museti said the problem of armyworm had been affecting farmers in his area since last year.

“Most of the peri-urban farmers in this area have been producing food for household and national food security. We send our grain to Chitungwiza Grain Marketing (Board),” he said.

Another farmer, Mrs Nancy Muzunze said she had been struggling with the fall armyworm this season.

“This is a noble programme, but we feel it is a bit late. My crop is at advanced stage, which makes it difficult to spray the pest. Experts should not wait for outbreaks to teach us about pests,” she said.