Government has committed UGX 4.5 Billion that is to be channeled through the Ministry of Agriculture Animal industry and Fisheries to control the spread of the destructive Fall Armyworm that recently hit various parts of the country.
Addressing the media at the Uganda Media Center in Kampala, the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja said the money will be used to sensitize farmers and procurement of a pesticide named Striker (Lambdalyhalothrin and Thiamethoxamlocals) which was has been proved effective on the pest.
According to government, the pest has already affected more than 54 districts in Uganda and continues to spread at a very high rate just in days when the outbreak was confirmed in maize gardens at Kito village in Luweero district.
Ssempijja says the ministry will be working hand in hand with the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) which is currently conducting a study on the pest.
The Minister explains that the country loses over 450,000 metric tons of maize to the ravaging army worms which have hit the gardens. He adds that about UGX 992 Million is lost to only poor quality produced maize excluding cassava and sorghum among others.
However, Ssempijja says government will soon sign a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with genuine pesticide distributors who will be mandated to sell them to farmers.
The Armyworm in Uganda was first detected in three districts of Kayunga, Kasese and Bukedea between May – July 2016.
Armyworm has caused vast distraction of plantations in most countries for example in Zambia, it is estimated that up to 130,000 hectares of maize were destroyed. The country spent USD Three million to control the pest while neighboring Kenya put in USD One million dollars.
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