Farmers in Taita Taveta county have been urged to prioritise food production even as the fight against the spread of coronavirus continues.
Agriculture, livestock and fisheries CEC Davis Mwangoma said the entire Coast region might be hit by severe food shortage if farmers fail to harvest enough food this season.
He said the county has for years been serving as the region's food basket.
"When we finally win the war against Covid-19, we might be left hungry if we do not embrace farming. Let farmers make good use of the March, April and May rains," Mwangoma said.
The executive noted that enough agricultural extension officers had been allocated in every ward to help farmers record desirable yields.
Major agricultural activities in the region include banana, vegetable, maize and legume farming. Others are dairy and macadamia nut farming.
The extension officers, Mwangoma said, will help maize farmers fight the destructive army worm.
The worm has caused havoc in many parts of the county, posing a risk of low yield.
He advised maize farmers to spray the worm at its larvae stage for effectiveness.
"This worm is a common pest today in maize production. It has been a big threat for a while now but we are dealing with it," he added.
Besides spraying, crop rotation, early planting and proper crop nutrition are some of the effective control methods.
However, Mwangoma cautioned farmers to exercise social distancing during their activities to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The pandemic has adversely affected businesses, with many farmers unable to take their produce to the market.
The county, however, is planning to open a wholesale market in Voi where farmers can sell their produce to small scale traders.
The livestock and farm produce market will be opened in Vindo agricultural showground.
Last month, the county government closed all major markets in a bid to control spread of coronavirus.
Edited by Henry Makori
