Zanlerigu (U/E)-Ghana, Aug. 02, GNA – Over 60 farmers at Zanlerigu-Gane Community in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, whose farms have been infested with the fall armyworm, have been sensitised on measures to control the pests.
Through demonstrations, the farmers were taught how to employ organic and inorganic methods to eliminate the worms, including the best disease control interventions.
Mr Michael Yenguriba, the Nabdam District Plant Protection and Regulation Services Officer of the Department of Agriculture, speaking to the farmers in the community, indicated that it was important farmers were skilled in how to spot early symptoms of fall armyworms and control them.
This, he noted, would help them fight the pests at an early stage, destroy their eggs and larvae, and completely prevent the pests from escalating to other farms.
He said the inability of farmers in the community to detect early symptoms of the fall armyworm infestation and combat them at the beginning, was the major cause of the infestation to spread to other crops.
He, however, assured that the Department of Agriculture was ready to assist farmers in getting over the menace by building their capacities and making available chemicals for them to help fight the pests.
Mr Joseph Aboo, the Agricultural Extension Officer in charge of the area, noted that apart from the application of chemicals to fight the pest, farmers could also use other organic methods such as the use of pepper and water from boiled neem tree leaves.
He noted that the lack of complexities in the organic method made it safer and more convenient than the conventional method, which necessitates safety precautions owing to its adverse impact on the farmer.
Some farmers received chemicals from the Directorate, and those who were unable to receive them were promised that the Directorate would return to the community and offer the same to them.
