The ‘force of mass destruction’ that threatens Zambia’s food security
Zambia must intensify its fight against an outbreak of army worms that is wiping out fields of the staple corn crop, posing a threat to the southern African nation’s food security, Vice President Inonge Wina said. "They are posing a big threat to food security in the country," she said in remarks broadcast on Monday on Hot FM radio in Lusaka, the capital. "They have come with such a force of mass destruction that has to be faced head on. We need to put more effort into eradicating the worms." The black-striped caterpillars can appear between December and May, as armies of the pest spanning miles and as dense as 1,100 per square meter march through fields, destroying entire crops. Army worms and other pests had already attacked at least half of the country’s 10 provinces by last week, according to the Zambia National Farmers’ Union. Agriculture makes up almost 10% of the economy, and about half of all employed people work on farms, mainly growing corn. Crop damage in the Copperbelt p...
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