GABORONE, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Botswana is working to equip farmers with the necessary tools to assess and tackle fall armyworms' threat to its food security, a local official said Thursday.
Kuate Sebua, the head of pest management in Botswana's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, told a media engagement seminar in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city, that fall armyworms have got the potential to wipe out crops and threaten the country's food security.
"It is against this backdrop that we are strengthening awareness campaigns and building stakeholders' capacity in the fight against fall armyworm through raising funds," Sebua said.
Furthermore, Sebua said that Botswana's government, in conjunction with non-governmental organizations, private seed and chemical companies alongside agricultural research institutions, is strengthening research and development, as well as screening germplasm.
The fall armyworm, which originates from the Americas, first appeared in Botswana in 2017 after causing massive damage to crops in its northwestern neighbor Zambia, including the loss of over 40,000 tons of maize.
To reduce the number of fall armyworms and their impact on agricultural production in Botswana, Sebua said a multi-pronged approach is required such as the fast registration of appropriate chemicals.
Sebua said that surveillance and early warning, monitoring and avoiding chemical resistance are some of the strategies being put in place to reduce fall armyworms in the southern African country.
Patience Mawere, head of phytosanitary department in Botswana's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, said surveillance and monitoring assist the Botswana in detecting the presence of the pest.
