Embrace winter farming in armyworm fight

A senior agronomist in Masvingo province has advised farmers to embrace winter ploughing to reduce effects of the menacing fall armyworm, which has affected crop yields since its invasion of Zimbabwe.

According to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement the pest has destroyed crops in approximately 150 000 hectares countrywide since January 2016.

The provincial Crop and Livestock officer Mr Peter Chamisa said in an interview on Wednesday that winter ploughing was the most effective method to curb the breeding of the pests.

“The fall armyworm has become a headache for communal and resettlement farmers in Masvingo and the entire nation,” he said.

“But we have since discovered that early winter ploughing can expose the pupa of the worm to the sun and destroy it right away.

“Further, winter ploughing exposes the fall armyworm pupa to birds. Birds consider the fall armyworm as nutritious food and as such their population will be reduced.

“In addition, the Government in partnership with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), has trained over 500 agricultural extension officers and farmers on the use of fall armyworm control pesticides.

“We expect them to liaise with the Command Agriculture Taskforce members to train beneficiaries of the programme to properly use control chemicals and protective clothing.”

According to FAO, a fall armyworm can lay over 1 000 eggs that hatch and develop into caterpillars capable of destroying 80 crop varieties.

Mr Chamisa said rapid spreading of the dreadful worms on farms and communal fields was a serious threat to the country’s food security initiatives.

He said several farmers in Chiredzi, Zaka, Bikita and Gutu had since appealed to Government to thoroughly arrest the spread of the worm, which continue affecting their yields.

“Unlike pesticides, winter ploughing and burning of maize stalks after harvesting from the infested fields can actually destroy the life cycle of the worm,” said Mr Chamisa.

“It is also noble for farmers to apply crop prevention measures. These include crop rotation, soil fumigation, winter ploughing and spraying of crops to enhance yields.”