By HAPPY MULOLANI
“PREVIOUSLY, my maize
fields used to be affected by Fall Army Worms resulting in low maize yields,”
said Nyambe Mweene, a small-scale farmer in Mungule village in Lwimba
agricultural camp in Chongwe district.
Mr Mweene shared his
experiences that despite cultivating maize and beans on a relatively higher
scale, the prevalence of Fall Armyworms in his field became worrisome given
that a bigger part of his hectarge was getting affected and recording crop
losses.
He revealed that he
depended on purchasing pesticides to spray his field but the cost implications were
too high as he had other family obligations.
This gloomy picture began
to change when he was selected to be among one of the farmers to participate in
on-farm trials on the use of low cost farming methods that supports
agro-ecological approaches to pest management.
“In 2019, which was the
first year of the project when I was selected as one of the 12 farmers to do
trials in Lwimba agricultural camp, I intercropped maize with beans and managed
to harvest 15 bags by 50kilogrammes in one lima which was better than preceding
years when I would only harvest 10bags,” disclosed Mr Mweene.
Despite the dry spells encountered
in 2020, the harvest increased to 20 bags by 50kilogramme in one lima. This, Mr
Mweene says is a positive stride in his maize fields as compared to past years
when he relied on spraying against Fall Armyworms. While this year, with the
good rains experienced so far, he expects to harvest 25 bags by 50kilogramme in
one lima, which is a significant gain in his crop production.
Another beneficiary
farmer, Cephas Mvula of Kanakantapa explains that, as one of the farmers participating
in on-farm trials of maize and beans, he has learnt that intercropping and
mulching is a better approach than using pesticides, as most pesticides are
destructive and costly.
Mr Mvula explained that
it was very useful to learn the best possible ways of mitigating Fall Armyworms
through the use of natural economy with low cost, as it improves productivity
and livelihoods.
Kanakantapa Resettlement
Scheme, Extension Officer, Fridah Kasamika explained that farmers have learnt
practices such as conservation agriculture tillage, with some selected cowpeas
and maize, maize and selected legumes.
Ms Kasamika says in her
camp, 12 farmers were selected to participate in on-farm trials. So far,
farmers have been using these demonstrations plots to learn and share
experiences on the approaches to fight Fall Armyworms and improve their yields.
These trials are
supported by a five year project, which is a partnership between the World
Agroforestry-(ICRAF) and the Ministry of Agriculture through its research
department, the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute at Mount Makulu. It seeks
to alleviate the impact of Fall Army Worm on smallholder farms through the use
of low-cost pest control strategies based on ecological approaches. The project
is also supported by other partners such as NORAD.
The project through its experts,
encourages farmers to avoid using a variety of pesticides in their fields
because they are not only toxic but dangerous to use. Instead, promoting agro
ecological approaches to offer alternative solutions which is “cheaper, safer
and better for the environment.” Some of the Agro-ecological approaches to pest
management such as conservation farming which focuses on promoting practices
such as crop rotation, minimum tillage, mulching and composting. Others include
intercropping, diversifying crop types in order to protect natural habitats and
enhance biodiversity in farmers’ fields. And the identification of specific
interventions which encourage natural enemies such ass “providing nest sites
for predatory insects.”
Since inception, the project
has witnessed farmers’ yields slowly but surely improve through the application
of ecological approaches meant to mitigate Fall Armyworms and boost maize
yields.
Senior Researcher at the
Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, Gilson Chipabika explains that trials
are being conducted on how to mitigate Fall armyworms. The researchers collect
data on infestation rates, damage and yields to examine the cost effectiveness.
Mr Chipabika said that
during the research, farmers will gain knowledge on Fall Armyworm and its
natural enemies.
He says that the project targets to make pesticides
redundant and use nature to address the impact of pests through the use of Agro
ecological approaches such as inter crop, mulching and crop residue among others
which are cheaper, safer and better for the environment.
According to ICRAF
Project Lead Investigator, Rhett Harrison, “The target is to
make chemical pesticides redundant and the use nature to do the work us.”
Professor Harrison further
discloses that most pesticides are highly toxic and dangerous to use.
Agro-ecological approaches offers alternative solutions, which is rather
cheaper, safer and better for the environment.
He emphasizes the need
for government to ensure farmers are offered with solutions which are
long-term. Other than, natural solutions, if they are to use pesticides its
better for them to utilise biological and botanical pesticides which are safer
though costly for many small-scale farmers. What is required is to offer
subsidies to lower the cost of pesticides.
The project is working
with 180 small-scale farmers in Zambia and Malawi and is conducting on-farm
trials. At inception of the trials, farmers were supplied with inputs which
includes maize, soyabean, cowpea, groundnut and common bean seeds. To
effectively manage these trials, technical support is being offered to the
farmers by researchers.
Deputy Director at Zambia
Agriculture Research Institute, Ivor Mukuka observes that the effective
utilization of technology is feasible as can be seen from research findings of
the trials located in various farmers catchment areas.
Mr Mukuka emphasized that
farmers need to really use technology to help them improve their yields and
food security.
“From the research
findings, appropriate information will be packaged and shared with the farmers.
This information is meant to assist farmers improve their productivity and
production as it is in line with the mandate of the government and its partner
ICRAF,” stressed Mr Mukuka.
It is expected the
knowledge generated from these research findings will be useful in developing
national pest control strategies across Southern African countries. Such an
approach is endeavours to boost productivity, production and incomes of
small-scale farmers.
