Source: Fall armyworm threatens 2023 maize harvest -Newsday Zimbabwe A FALL ARMYWORM plague and other related diseases that have spread to all the country’s provinces are posing a serious threat to the country’s major staple food crop, maize, preliminary findings of a crops, livestock and fisheries assessment report have shown.

The invasive crop pest, which manifests during dry conditions following incessant rains, is well known for its devastating effects on maize yields across Africa, but few studies have been done on its broader impact on poverty levels and food security. The pest, the report said, had affected all the country’s 10 provinces, some of which have also recorded incidences of armoured cricket in, for instance, Masvingo province’s Lowveld. According to the report, the prevalence of diseases such as corn smut, maize streak virus and grey leaf spot were not so pronounced, but were reported in some maize and sorghum crops, while there were also incidences of grasshopper infestations. A study in Zimbabwe has found that smallholder maize-growing households blighted by fall armyworm are more likely to experience hunger and could see their income almost halved in severe cases, highlighting the urgency of strategies to tackle the pest. Estimates from 12 maize-producing countries in sub-Saharan ...

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Zimbabwesituation

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