Boungoma county is urgently seeking the government's help in dealing with an armyworm invasion.
Ten per cent of maize planted by farmers is affected, county Agriculture director Onesmus Makhanu said on Monday, noting this translates to 11,250 bags.
Makhanu further noted that is equivalent to a loss of about Sh34 million given the price of Sh3,000 per bag.
"Twenty per cent of maize was affected across the nine constituencies last year," he said.
At that time, some of the farmers in Tongaren, Kimilili and Webuye West resorted to using paraffin to fight the pest.
Makhanu said they prepared and presented a budget of Sh35 million that will see the farmers deal with the menace.
In the meantime, he told them, they should pick the armyworms off their crops and spray their farms using a chemical available at agrovet shops.
The director also told the farmers that the county was working round the clock for a solution.
Agriculture CEC Mathews Makanda said the national government received Sh1 billion shillings from the European Union for dealing with the invasion.
He said the county was waiting for the money to reach them following the presentation of the budget.
"We have trained staff for the process. We will be able to help farmers at the grassroots level once the funds are availed," he said.
Most farmers in Kenya are struggling with useless chemicals or traditional methods like applying of tobacco dust on maize leaves to control the fall armyworm.
A new study shows 48 per cent of farmers last season sprayed their maize, but most of the insecticides could not kill the worm.
Another 39 per cent said they tried traditional methods such as sprinkling soil and tobacco extracts to plant whorl, while those in Mt Elgon County reported handpicking.
Mwingi West MP Charles Nguna urged farmers to use aerial soap.
Researchers have discouraged the use of synthetic pesticides.
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