Stefanus Nashama
Oshana regional governor, Elia Irimari has on Tuesday downplayed the severity of the armyworm outbreak in the region.
“The worms are not in large areas, only a few that were spotted,” said the governor.
The presence of the worms was detected by farmers in the region last week.
Irimari also expressed confidence that natural predators, such as chickens and birds, might help control the population.
“These worms may be dealt with by nature itself since they are not a lot to destroy crops,” he said.
Irimari added that he had not received complaints from residents but suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform may have taken steps to address the issue.
“Officials from the ministry were here to investigate but did not come back to me. Maybe the reason they did not come back is because the armyworms are not magnificent,” he said.
The infestation raised concerns among residents and farmers.
The outbreak was first reported by Ileni Nandjato, a communal farmer of Ekolyanaambo village.
Nandjato said a large swarm of armyworms was first spotted at his Far-Far Away Farming, prompting the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to dispatch a team of extension officers from Ongwediva to assess the situation.
“Upon investigation, it was discovered that the entire Ekolyanaambo village was affected, with many local mahangu (pearl millet) fields severely damaged by the armyworms’ feeding activity. These worms are dangerous to our crops. They can cause hunger and also affect our livestock if they eat the grass,” Nandjato said.
This is not the first time that armyworms have caused damage to crops in the country.
A previous outbreak was recorded in 2008.
Nandjato expressed concerns that the entire Oshana region may be at risk this time around.
While armyworms are not harmful to humans, they are known to cause significant damage to crops and vegetation, including grass and other plants, as they use their chewing mouthparts to feed.
“The ministry officials did not come back to us, but they were here,” said Nadjato.
Maria Iitembu, another resident of Ekolyanaambo village, confirmed the armyworm outbreak, saying the pests are feeding on mahangu leaves.
“The worms are not that many, but we have fears for the future,” said Iitembu.
Despite the relatively small infestation, Iitembu warned that without intervention, the worms could severely affect their crops.
Leevi Nekwaya, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed that a team had been sent to the region but directed media enquiries to the ministry’s public relations officers.
“We are not authorised to speak to the media. Contact our public relations officers,” he said.
Ministry spokesperson Regina Valombola said that the government does take action against armyworm outbreaks.
Valombola could not confirm the current situation in the Oshana region at this time.
“I cannot entirely confirm the incident, but I will find out from the colleagues that deal with such issues,” she said.
Valombola assured that the ministry would investigate the matter and provide more information once the situation is assessed.
