Nigeria striving to put armyworm outbreak under control

Nigeria will apply the use of biological methods of control and general agricultural practices that will prevent invasion of the African armyworm caterpillar, a pest in maize which is currently spreading across the west African country, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said Tuesday.

So far, 22 states have been affected by the outbreak which is capable of causing scarcity of maize in the country if not adequately controlled.

The African moth is very harmful and capable of destroying the entire crops in a matter of weeks. It is also capable of infecting guinea corn and millet.

In a statement released here, the government said it will take urgent and the right steps to tackle the problem by training local farmers on pest control.

The Nigerian government said it will not adopt the usual method of spraying chemicals which is now thought to be ineffective because the armyworms usually bury themselves in the maize.

Authorities in Nigeria announced Monday that the African armyworm had ravaged farms across the nation, describing the outbreak as "a threat to national food security and maize production in the country."

"The (Agric) ministry is planning to train farmers on how to control the menace. We have visited farms and we have seen the devastation that has occurred in those farms and for us to reduce or alleviate farmers suffering and losses, we need to train them," the statement said.

The government has also mandated the International Institute for Agricultural Research to develop a resistant variety to the armyworms, especially as the destructive insects are discovered to be ravaging farms across Africa.

Maize is a staple food in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. Endit