Armyworm costs Zimbabwe $200 million

ZIMBABWE reportedly incurs economic losses of up to $200 million a year due to the spread of the fall armyworm.
The voracious pest, which has proved difficult to control, has been reported in 28 African countries since its outbreak in 2016, presenting a permanent challenge for the continent.
Research commissioned by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International last year estimates that the pest will cost 10 of the continent’s major maize producing economies in Africa a total of $2,2 billion a year in lost maize harvests, if it is not properly managed.
“On this basis it can be seen that currently Benin, Malawi and Zimbabwe are most affected,” the report said.
The report shows that Zimbabwe has lost over 500 000 tonnes of grain to the pest, costing the country about $190,8 million.
“The estimates indicate that for these 10 countries taken together, the potential impact of fall armyworm on maize yield lies between 7,2 million tonnes and 17,9 million tonnes per year and with losses lying between $2,218 million and $5,518 million per year,” the report said.
According to the Zimbabwe Food Security Outlook (June to January 2019), the fall armyworm is expected to remain a threat to crop production in the coming 2018/2019 season. During the 2017/18 season, cases of fall armyworm attacking maize and sorghum were reported, especially on early and late planted crops.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement estimated the affected maize area at about 125 817 hectares.
Yield reduction estimates range from five percent to 15 percent due to the pest.
The fall armyworm, a moth indigenous to the Americas, which has been spreading rapidly across Africa has also been recently been found in India, giving rise to fears for the food security of millions of people in Asia.
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