Army Worms Invade Ghana's Upper East Region

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's Upper East Region has been invaded by army worms and agriculture officials fear that large tracts of farmland would be lost if prompt action is not taken.

All five districts in the region, which shares borders with Togo, have reported the presence of the worms.

Some 130,000 hectares of cereals, mostly millet, rice, maize and sorghum, are threatened.

The worms can devour about 1,000 hectares of crops a day.

The regional director of the ministry of agriculture, T.A. Anyorikeya, said about 325,000 litres of chemicals, fuel, detergents, masks/respirators and 1,200 sprayers would be needed to fight the worms.

According to him, the worms destroyed 630 hectares of crops in 1998.