As
the government is working hard to tackle tomato vermin, which has
ravaged tomato production in the
northern part of the country, another disease which affects maize production has surfaced in the South- West
and Edo State.
The disease called Army Worm was detected recently in the South-West and Edo, but the government said
measures had been put in place to contain the disease and stop it from spreading.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief
Audu Ogbeh, said the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, is currently
intensifying
efforts towards containing the disease.
“We have another small crisis on our hand, apart from the tuta absoluta disease ravaging tomato
production.
We have another attack on maize which is occurring in the South-West and Edo State.
“The disease is called Army Worm which has been attacking some farms. We are happy to say that it
appears on the decline, though our partners in the IITA in Ibadan are working hard to bring this under
control,” Chief Ogbeh said.
The Minister said further that the government was making efforts to use bio-safety chemicals compliant to
control the disease from spreading.
“There are efforts ongoing to protect these farms with bio-safety chemicals but the report we got from IITA,
is that the infestation is declining. We keep watching, if it doesn’t decline, we will have to take some rigorous
steps. We need a lot of maize and we are in short of maize,” he added.
northern part of the country, another disease which affects maize production has surfaced in the South- West
and Edo State.
The disease called Army Worm was detected recently in the South-West and Edo, but the government said
measures had been put in place to contain the disease and stop it from spreading.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief
Audu Ogbeh, said the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, is currently
intensifying
efforts towards containing the disease.
“We have another small crisis on our hand, apart from the tuta absoluta disease ravaging tomato
production.
We have another attack on maize which is occurring in the South-West and Edo State.
“The disease is called Army Worm which has been attacking some farms. We are happy to say that it
appears on the decline, though our partners in the IITA in Ibadan are working hard to bring this under
control,” Chief Ogbeh said.
The Minister said further that the government was making efforts to use bio-safety chemicals compliant to
control the disease from spreading.
“There are efforts ongoing to protect these farms with bio-safety chemicals but the report we got from IITA,
is that the infestation is declining. We keep watching, if it doesn’t decline, we will have to take some rigorous
steps. We need a lot of maize and we are in short of maize,” he added.
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