Country staring at starvation due to army worms

At least 2.6 million Kenyans are experiencing food crisis according to a National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) report.

The report says the situation that might worsen because of expected low harvests, has been caused by the fall armyworm infestation.

There is a widespread infestation of the fall armyworm that was first reported in Rongai, Nakuru County, before spreading to other counties throughout the country.

Farmers have lost millions of shillings to unscrupulous dealers who have been selling pesticides that have no effect on the deadly pest. According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture, at least more than 250,000 hectares of farms in Nakuru (48,969), Nandi (7,000), Uasin Gishu (8,000), Trans Nzoia (10,000) and Bungoma (31,600) have been infested by fall armyworm.

Nakuru County Agriculture executive Stanley Chepkwony says erratic weather patterns have seriously hurt food production, especially cereals.

Chepkwony says farmers did not plant on time because of delayed rains and immediately after germination, maize crop met the wrath of fall armyworm.

“Over 50 per cent of maize crop has been affected by fall armyworm, they were first reported at Rongai and later spread to all sub-counties,” says Chepkwony.

A visit by Saturday Standard on several farms revealed distraught farmers trying to come to terms with losses. Maize crop on farms is infested with the pest that feed on both leaves and grains.

Samuel Keter, a farmer at Subtet village, Molo Sub-county, is counting losses after his 15-acre farm was affected by the deadly disease. Keter’s main income generating activity is farming and he was expecting to harvest at least 500 bags of 90kg each to enable him pay school fees for his three children.

He says he spent Sh60,000 on land preparation, Sh27,000 on seeds, another Sh27,000 on herbicides and Sh45,000 on labour.

But now he has given up on maintaining the crop as the fall armyworm has further infested maize cobs. Last year, Keter harvested a total of 525 bags of maize from the same farm.