Chipata District in Eastern Province has recorded some isolated cases
of army worms that have destroyed the maize crop.
Chipata District Agriculture Coordinator Michael Ngulube confirmed to
Breeze News monitored in Chipata on Wednesday that three areas
that have been affected are  Chiparamba, Kapita, and Msekera.
Mr Ngulube said officers from the Ministry of Agriculture have already
moved in to spray the pests.
He, however said that his office was ready to move in and spray the
area as directed by President Edgar Lungu.
Mr Ngulube said that what was needed was new chemicals because the
officers have been using old chemicals that remained last year.
On Wednesday, President Edgar Lungu directed the Disaster Management
and Mitigation Unit(DMMU) to join the Ministry of Agriculture in an
emergency operation to curb the spread of army worms that have invaded
some districts on the Copperbelt, Luapula, Central Provinces,and
some parts of Chipata district.
By press time, some chemicals were being awaited at Chipata airport.
ZNBC NEWS: Frank Bwalya Blames HH and UPND for Army Worms invasion of parts of eastern province.
GORVMENT HAS BLAMED THE OPPOSITION UPND FOR INVASION OF ARMY WORMS IN SOME PARTY OF CHIPATA DISTRICT . HANOCK KASAMA ZNBC NEWS CHIPATA DISTRICT EASTERN PROVINCE.
So Sad!
I am told there will be national prayers against army worms. If so, I propose we should also hold national prayers against corruption, foot and mouth disease, and rabies. We also need to pray against poverty and AIDS and HIV. To be honest, the list is endless. Black Africans are the most useless and gullible race on earth.
52 years of Independence: Zambia full of Copper, Emeralds, Diamonds (Kansanshi Mine) Gold, Ministry of Agriculture through Government of the day (PF) Tamwakwata indeke shakusansa imiti nga mu America, Britain, Germany, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, too bad you just move by foot.
Just transport truckloads of BEMBAS to Chipata & line them up on the invaded fields to harvest the Worms. It’s UMUNANI for them (ifishimu/finkubala). Problem solved!!
Where are the planes for locust and tsetsefly control? Have they been privatised?
Anything was possible during that time and who knows HH might have privatised them also and became chairman of the very planes
Like we said GBM started all this army culture through unlawful drilling. kikiki
On a serious note, this infestation is from the Fall Armyworm, somehow imported recently into Africa from the USA.
I’ve seen it on the rampage in most of Lusaka province, chisamba being the worst effected. It’s also present in Southern, Copperbelt, and most of Central (from Mumbwa right to Serenge).
By the time you see the actual holes, the larvae only has 2 or 3 days to go before it pupates into a moth and starts laying its 2000 eggs for the next cycle. Meaning if you see the holes in leaves, it’s quite late to spray.
Major crop damage will actually occur when they burrow into the actual cobs.
Farmer dies poor. May God bless all farmers and bless their sweat.
When you see some small opaque spots on your maize, this is the time to spray.
The worms are small and eat the green layer leaving the thin white tissue behind.
Once it’s big and burrowing into the maize whorl it’s difficult for chemicals to reach him there.
Apart from maize, it also chews a lot of grass species, cotton, soya, sorghum, cabbage, and practically everything else you can think of. But maize is the hardest to spray because there is a funnel to hide in, safe from chemical contact.
Look at most of the small roadside maize within Lusaka and you will see the opaque spot stage. Full chewing will happen shortly in 10 days time.
Some large mkushi farmers have sprayed 8 times without control
ECL was going round with helicopter during companies but
ECL was going round with helicopter during campaigns cant thy spray this warms using a helicopter in-steady of going round with musician. this is sameone life not just dununa on helicopter
Does anyone know of some effective chemicals , both preventive and curative. Can we be seen to be making practical solutions rather than this endless wailing and despair. This whole crap about govt chemicals at airports , which in any case will end up in private shops , will not take us anywhere.
The army worms require a stronger army to defeat them. Edgar C Lumgu is the capable one to command that strong army. Come on, lets all unite and fight the army worms. After all the army worms do not have guns.
When tomato farmers were being devastated by the dreaded Tuta Absoluta worms, there was absolutely no government intervention. Now that the maize has been attacked, all hell has broken loose. The day we realise that agriculture is NOT growing maize, then we’ll start developing the industry. God help us.
Well we need staple food first
I got some of the names for the chemicals from The Ministry of Agriculture
1. CYPHERMETHRIN
2.CYCLONE
3.NIMBECIDINE
What a funny headline!
Army worms invade Chipata in some area?
People where these army wormys comes froms?