The United Nations is seeking Sh2.3 billion to fight armyworm invasion in Africa.
Armyworm has invaded farms in 40 counties in Kenya. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) is targeting 500,000 farmers across the conytinent.
The agency's regional regional representative for Africa Bukar Tijani said there was a huge financial gap to control the worm despite significant contributions from governments and partners.
“We urgently need to fill the Sh2.3 billion gap to allow us effectively support countries in addressing the armyworm invasion this year,” Tijani said in a statement on Friday.
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About 300 million people are at risk of hunger due to armyworm invasion, Tijan said.
The pest has invaded maize ans sorghum fields in 44 countries including Kenya.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri recently said the government will spend Sh600 million to fight the invasion.
He spoke during an armyworm brainstorming meeting held at the Kenya Plant and Health Inspectorate Services in Nairobi.
Kiunjuri said the money will be disbursed through the a newly formed Fall Armyworm Multi-Institutional Technical Team which is made up of scientists from the government and local and international research organisations.
Another Sh1 billion will be set aside for research and the purchase of pesticides for continuous fight against the pest.
Last year, the government spent Sh300 million to buy pesticides.
The armyworm has since affected 800,000 hectares of land in more than 40 counties since it was first reported in 2016. The country lost more than one million bags of maize in the last harvest season following the armyworm infestation.
Gabriel Rugalema, FAO representative to Kenya, said they will be training 90 extension officers on how to counter the pests. The training will cost Sh50 million.
“Most farmers do not have the knowledge on when to spray the pest and the appropriate chemicals to use. This has been one of the major challenges in fighting the worm. The worm is active early in the morning or in the evening," Rugalema said.
He said some farmers were using adulterated chemicals to fight armyworms.
The UN said the pest was spreading to larger areas and growing an appetite for others crops including millet, rice, wheat and barley as well as hay and nappier grass. It has so far infested more than 22 million square kilometers which is the combined area of the European Union, Australia and US.
Rugalema warned the pest could spread to Northern Africa, Southern Europe and the Near East. He called for a massive scaling up from governments.
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