Catastrophic fall of army worms now causes havoc in Elgeyo Marakwet farms

Farmers in Elgeyo Marakwet County are in shock as the Fall Army Worm mercilessly feast on their maize plantations.The agrarians are now appealing for the government to investigate the widely spreading migratory pests before advancing.

The Fall Army Worm infestation alarm has been raised in many parts of Kenya with various county governments set response measures.The ruthless worm has already destroyed 1, 200 acres of maize in Elgeyo Marakwet County with its impact felt along Kerio Valley region touching Emsoo, Endo and Soy North wards.

Elgeyo Marakwet County Executive Committee (CEC) member in charge of Agriculture and Livestock, Shadrack Kiprop Yatich is now worried over the pest which is affecting the main food relied on by Kenyans.

Yatich decried the magnitude of the loss the migratory pest is causing in the County and it's neighborhoods. He said that this vice may endanger food security not only in the county but also in Kenya at large.

Meanwhile, Yatich said that the county government of Elgeyo Marakwet has aided farmers within the county with pesticides worth Sh400, 000 as a control measure to avert the vice.He is calling upon the farmers stipulated measures guiding the use of the pesticide in a bid to take control of the worrying situations.

The worm is believed to have found its way through South Africa and is now causing havoc in Kenyan farms, especially maize plantations.

Maize is the staple food crop in Kenya, with a per capita consumption of more than 78kg per year. The current approximate of 11,000 Ha of off-season maize has been infested.