Date: 2017-06-02

Kwara State government has raised alarm over wide-spread invasion of farmlands by army waorms. The pest attacks have so far left so many farmers devastated.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin at the weekend, President of Agricultural and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN) in Kwara State, Comrade Kehinde Ehindero, said the pests had spread to four agrarian local government areas of Kaiama, Baruten, Lapa and Ilorin.

The agriculturist, who said the pests spread like wild fire, advised farmers to procure effective pesticides like DD Force to combat the attack, adding that government would set up media campaign to sensitise farmers on application of chemicals.

He said the media campaign and sensitisation became imperative to ensure food security was not hampered in the state.

Armyworms Spread To Kwara, Nasarawa And Kogi State Armyworms Spread To Kwara, Nasarawa And Kogi State armyworm2

In Nasarawa, farmers have expressed concerns over the pest attacks on farms. Some of the farms visited in Doma were severely affected as some farmers have to replant maize in cultivated areas.

Thomas Akpu, who spoke with our reporter in his farm at the outskirt of Doma, said the improved maize seeds he bought were destroyed by the pests which, he said, now eats grasses after destroying crops.

Mr Audu Ebeshi, another affected farmer, said inconsistent rainfall contributed on the spread of the pests.

"Even grasses are not spared in my farm," he said while urging the authorities to assist the farmers across the country to tackle the spread of the pest before the nation faces shortage of maize at harvest time.

Kwara farmers cry out

Farmers, under the aegis of Kwara Agricultural Practitioners Association (KWAPA), have appealed to the state government to assist them by opening up virgin lands for cultivation.

Speaking at the congress and inauguration of executive members of the association in Ilorin recently, the chairman of the group, Martins Ajiboso, said "The nutrient value of the land depreciates by the day and they don't have enough money to buy fertiliser to add nutrients to their farms. So, that makes it imperative for the opening of virgin lands. There are more virgin lands but on many occasions, rivers or other inaccessible factors make it impossible for farmers to cross to other fertile lands.

"Government should do what it did to the movie industry during Jonathan's administration by giving farmers grants to pursue their business and wait to see a magical turn around in food production. They should also set up a marketing board where they buy food produce from farmers directly and sell to members of the public at supplemented prices," he said.

An agriculturist, Dr Tunde Arosanye, told the News Agency of Nigeria that parts of Kogi State were also affected.

Arosanye, who is the National Coordinator of Zero Hunger Commodities, said in Abuja that the incident was similar to the one which occurred in the area last year.

He recalled that the 2016 invasion of armyworms affected more than 12,000 farmers and destroyed over 700 hectares of farmlands in the area.