Government has revealed that it has spent close to K20 million since the outbreak of Army worms across the country.
ZANIS reports that Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya says that almost 61 thousand litres of pesticide was used to curb the spread the pests thereby ensure food security in the country.
The army worm outbreak was first recorded in the copperbelt province where most maize fields were damaged before spreading to other provinces.
The Minister said this during a press briefing at the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters in Lusaka today.
She said about 10 percent of the hectarage has been affected by Army worms across the country.
Ms Siliya explained that there is about 1.4 million hectares of maize under cultivation and about 124 thousand have been affected which is slightly under 10%.
She however expressed confidence that with the good rains expected this farming season, the country is assured of food security.
The Ministry’s response has been immediate and targeted hence been able to offer the right treatment, she said.
She added that te type of Army worm affecting crops is different and requires concise contact spraying unlike the one experienced four years ago,.
” Government will procure inputs such as the early maturing seed varieties to farmers whose fields were adversely affected by the Army worms, ” she said.
Ms. Siliya thanked the team in the ministry of Agriculture as well as other stakeholders involved in the mitigating response to the attack.
Speaking at the same event, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator Patrick Kangwa confirmed that the outbreak of the Army worms is being controlled and the situation is stable.
Mr. Kangwa said the Unit has been offering logistical and human resource support to the Ministry of Agriculture as well as from the Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service other volunteers.
He said the ratio of the extension officers to the hectarage is quite huge as such some farmers require external support to spray their fields.
Mr. Kangwa noted that with the assistance received, about 95 thousand hectarage has been sprayed which indicates that the problem is being contained.
He said more farmers are aware of the outbreak and are able to report in good time for immediate response.
20 million kwacha? People are spraying their own fields, buying their own chemicals and you say 20 million kwacha? Dora please do not take each calamity as an opportunity to steal government money.
What midday robbery is that?? K20 billion old money in allowances? It was cheaper to let army worms eat the maize, and use that K20 billion to import spaghetti.
This is all she has to tell Zambians after a lot of adultery in the US. What a disaster Zambia is now!
Deserter Management Medication Unit. Which unit is this?
You would expect someone straight from a holiday would look fresh & sharp. Well, not Dora. She looked drowsy & groggy at yesterday’s presser.
Welcome back minister. I see she has been well briefed.
Q: What did Dora Siliya’s Zairean Congolese boyfriend tell her upon running into Mike Tyson in Las Vegas last week?
A: “Let him nail you in the a.ss for a while. Your pu.ssy is crooked.”
balibwela oko baile muku tombwa ala mayo uyu alitemwa ubukala
come on guys… she is a journalist. she is good at reading the stories she is given.
and also good at research so she may know what she is talking about. but then again so does henry kapata.
can Dora produce receipts for the collosal sum of money spend
It is not “warm” but worms. This is supposed be a news site written by people who have been to school. This is not a one off case, your writing is pathetic.
” Government will procure inputs such as the early maturing seed varieties to farmers whose fields were adversely affected by the Army worms, ” she said.
I am interested to find out what variety that is…this is how you introduce GMO seeds and later regret it!!
Why was a journalist appointed minister of agriculture? Corruption is tha answer! Lungu has no common sense. A journalist appointed as minister of agriculture! Lungu is a reckless incompetent President. She is out of her depth. Some one gave her something to read to her fello journalists but the reality she has no idea about what the scale of the problem is or how to solve it. I would expect the minister of agriculture to know the scientific name for army worms, how the multiply etc, the prevalence Zambia, the experts in crop diseases etec…….
She has p.ussy worms in her p.ussy that’s why she qualifies to be the minister. I mean, it’s war ravaging between those Doranic legs so let her tackle the army worms.
Deserter Management medication Unit coordinator Patrick Kangwa. LT it is Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit please this is embarrassing us as Zambians. where are your editors
On the Copperbelt how is this being handled? I am seeing people buying the drug from the drug store. There was a Mary at Luano who was believed to have the drugs but upon investigation she had none claiming it was finished. The luano chairmen were asked and showed ignorance about the government dishing out army worm drugs and I am sure this is the case everywhere. Where is the K20m being used? is it in form of subsidy to help farmers buy the drug cheaply? Can some one please explain properly because Dora does not understand how annoying it is to fool people. She was in USA and the president was doing her work, PF does not have this kind of ministers who belittle serious issues their ministry except in MMD. Ba PF mwatuletela ba MMD mwamona nomba?
Army worms the question we should ask ourselves is why?
These things are not new and they were there during the time of prophet #Moses time of pharaoh these happened infact its a punishment from God the almight creator
GOD is not happy of what is happening in our country and the only cure starts from you and me
We need to change
ZAMBIA is christian nation and the question comes what does it mean being christian nation the answer is very simple #followers #of #christ are we following christ?
Already as you are going through my post others are already drunk we dont rispect elders anymore.our leaders are liers today they promise us what they evn nkow that they wont do for us.you can cheat your fellow human being but remember God is watching you and me.today church is a business…