Maize farmers in Nyiragongo, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are complaining.
The armyworm has destroyed this field belonging to the Munguiko community, and the damage is severe. The pests prevent maize plants from growing or progressing to the flowering stage by attacking their leaves and stems.
“It is army worms that attack our fields. They appear any time; in the dry season or the rainy season,” said a farmer whose field has been devastated.
Agronomist Jadot Mateso, who has established a tiny nursery where maize seedlings are carefully kept before being sent to the fields, is interested in the pest.
Farmers are being urged by Madot to plant armyworm-resistant cultivars. The bug has recently destroyed maize crops in several nations, including Kenya, Zambia, and Uganda.
“The caterpillar is called spodoptera frugiperda. It is native to North America. It causes a lot of damage in the fields. Production can reduce by upwards of 60%,” said Madot.
The effects are evident in Goma’s markets. Because of the armyworm’s arrival, production of maize has been reduced, which has resulted in a large increase in price.
A dealer named Georgette Nyabadé claims that a bag of corn that was once sold for 30 or 35 dollars now costs 75 or 80 dollars.
In tropical and subtropical locations, armyworms are a significant agricultural pest. These voracious caterpillars can completely defoliate fields of crops before moving on in search of new sources of food, with disastrous economic repercussions.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s eastern region depends heavily on maize.
Fears of a food catastrophe have been raised in a region already affected by conflict as a result of the armyworm infestation.
