FG inaugurates taskforce against fall armyworm infestation

·       promises subsidy

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The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has set up a task force to stop the fall armyworm menace currently ravaging the country so as to rescue 50% worth of maize valued at N147 billion lost to the pest menace across the nation yearly. The inauguration of the committee was done in Abuja, recently

The minister who promised that the subsidized locally made organic repellent would be given to farmers to confront the pest attacks urged the taskforce to immediately swing into action for the purpose of necessary precaution against the next planting season.

The minister said the government would procure all local the products that would be used to fight the disease spread and made them available at an affordable price to end users, adding “the good thing is that this product is made in Nigeria by a Nigerian. And it is organic. This is better than using chemicals that can be harmful to human’s health.”

Members of the National Task Force include, Dr. Mufutau Adeleke, Ajayi Olutobaba, Mr. Mike Kanu, Aliyu Danlami Chafe, Dr. Ishiakbio Khalid, Dr Vincent Isegbe, Prof J.A Adediran, Prof Rabiu Adamu, Alhaji Abubakar Bello, Prof Chris Dauda, Mr. Sabiu S. Ismaila, Mr. Adeniyan O.B, Dr. Nkem, Dr. Oluwakemi Odeyemi, Mrs. Adeola Akinrinlola, Ben Odoemena, Dr Charles Iyangbe, Dr Alpha Kamara, Sarrazin Felix. Others are Hauwa Funmilayo, Prof Ibrahim Haruna, Prof Aaron Baba and Mallam Isah Adamu.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Country Representative, Mr Suffyan Koroma who said that damages caused by fall armyworm has become a global menace, recalled that it was first discovered in the country in 2016 and that it had affected thousands of hectares of maize farms across Africa including Nigeria.

He noted that the current devastating menace could further increase the existing gap between demand and supply of maize if prompt action was not taken to curb it saying that “ to further build on FAO supported intervention and ensure continuity and sustainability of the project, there was need for Nigerian government to declare a national emergency on fall armyworm.’’

Continuing, he said: “The pest is a serious threat to the nation’s food and nutrition security as well as the livelihood of majority smallholder resources poor farmers, whose major means of livelihood is agriculture. It therefore deserves more urgent national attention, considering the importance of maize as both a source of food for humans and raw material for many agro-based industries. The pest is known to primarily attack maize but the risk of attack on other crops is extremely high as it has the potential to feed on more than 186 crops”

Koroma further explained that FAO was partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture in the fight against the pest, since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Project agreement in 2017 and that the project had achieved some of its objectives such  as building national capacities of officers from the Federal and State Ministries of Agriculture, Research Institutions, Universities and farmers on surveillance, monitoring, identification and control of fall army worm disease saying that “Not less than 1200 affected farmers across 12 states were trained on maize production through provision of agricultural inputs, maize seed, fertiliser, herbicide, insecticide, knapsack sprayers and personal protective equipment. Goldmax is produced in Nigeria by a Nigerian and should be commended. I want to assure you that the product complies with the FAO/WHO accepted class of insecticide’’

The National President, Maize Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Bello Abubakar  thanked the Federal Government and FAO for their supports when the pest was first discovered in the country two years ago, adding that FAO has trained its members on how to prevent further attacks.

A farmer from Kano State, Jalal Maailiula urged the FG to work in order to ensure that the new product is well circulated amongst the grassroots farmers so as to better combat the issue of fall armyworm for increased productivity during the all year round farming seasons.

 Koroma further explained that FAO was partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture in the fight against the pest, since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Project agreement in 2017 and that the project had achieved some of its objectives such  as building national capacities of officers from the Federal and State Ministries of Agriculture, Research Institutions, Universities and farmers on surveillance, monitoring, identification and control of fall army worm disease saying that “Not less than 1200 affected farmers across 12 states were trained on maize production through provision of agricultural inputs, maize seed, fertiliser, herbicide, insecticide, knapsack sprayers and personal protective equipment. Goldmax is produced in Nigeria by a Nigerian and should be commended. I want to assure you that the product complies with the FAO/WHO accepted class of insecticide’’