Reduce the number of acreages to fight fall armyworm - Agric officer

The Sissala West District Agric officer incharge of crops in the Upper West Region Naambie Nathaniel has advised maize Farmers to reduce the number of acreages in other to fight the fall armyworm.

He spoke during a tour with officers of the District assembly where a quarter of an acreage of maize garden had been attacked by the worms at the Bullu irrigation dam in the district.

The farmer Ali Ibrahim a resident of Bullu used up to four bottles of chemicals amounting to 50 cedis to fight the disease.

The Sissala West District is one of the leading producer of maize in the Upper West Region.

But the outbreak of the fall army warm came at a time government kick started its "Planting For Food and Jobs Program" which seeks to help farmers increase production and reduce cost.

Though the agric ministry had come in with chemicals to help fight the disease, not every farmer had access to the chemicals.

The warm has again been found at an irrigation farm at Bullu a community near Gbwollu, which the farmer has spent about 50 cedis in fighting the worms of about quarter an acreage.

Speaking to the District Agric officer incharge of crops Naambie Nathaniel said it is a strong signal that the fall armyworm has come to stay and urged farmers to plan with the disease in mind.

He also advised the farmers to reduce their number of acreages to be able to provide the resources in times of buying chemicals.

But the Sissala West District Chief Executive Bako Zakaria Mohammed said he has assurance from the agric ministry that government has enough chemicals to deal with the fall armyworm during the season.