Agricultural officers in Uasin Gishu County have raised a red flag
over a possible fall armyworms invasion in the region.
According to the Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Samuel Yego, the armyworms have already been reported on several farms within Kapseret Sub County.
This comes at a time farmers have started planting, in anticipation of
the long rains.
Yego says any farmer who witnesses the fall armyworms on their farms should
immediately report to the agricultural extension officers in their
respective areas for appropriate action to be taken.
“We have a challenge of fall armyworms in some farms within Kapseret ward where they have eaten grass. That is a warning that the worms are there and we urge that those farmers that planted earlier and have seen signs of the worms, they should inform our extension officers so that they can confirm,” Yego said.
He, however, noted that the county has sufficient pesticides allocated to contain the fall armyworms invasion.
The CECM further expressed optimism that the worms will be wiped out
immediately the long rains sets in.
“Usually the fall armyworms are killed by heavy rains which we hope it will be with us soon. But for now, any farmer who sees the signs of the worms should let us know. We have some pesticides that can be used to help deal with them,” noted Yego.
Fall armyworm is an insect pest with moths as the adult stage and larvae (caterpillars) as the destructive stage.
In Kenya, the pest was first reported in March 2017 in Western Kenya and has since spread countrywide.
The pest attacks a wide range of crops but maize and sorghum are the most preferred hosts. It can cause up to 100 percent yield loss if left uncontrolled.
