Army Worms Cause State of Emergency in Liberia
The nation of Liberia (on the western African coast, right above the lower left corner of the bulbous top part of Africa) has declared a state of emergency in its Bong County area, along the Guinean border. African army worms are devastating the crops in such numbers that the Liberian government is asking for international aid to combat the infestation.
The African Army Worm (AAW) is a nasty devil that is a remorseless eating machine if ever there is one. The two-inch long worms get their moniker from the worms tactics of moving en masse from field to field, consuming everything in its path. Kinda like a real army, in the Napoleonic sense.
The Liberian Minister of Agriculture told news organizations that so far 19 villages have been decimated by the marauding worms. Not only is the problem with the voracious appetites of the AAW’s, but also the, um, aftermath of the feasting.
This is not the first time that the African Worm Army has terrorized an African country. Three years ago, Zimbabwe faced starvation situations when army worms showed up. Kenya and Tanzania had their outbreaks in the late 90’s.
So, here’s the thing, army worms are generally controlled by pesticides here in the US and in other nations where even the small farmer can afford chemicals to grow stuff. The good majority of African farmers are organic farmers, not because it is the cool thing to do, but rather because that is all they know and can afford. Why would these farmers start using chemicals just when the world is hopefully moving away from chemical-based agriculture?
Unfortunately, this is a sticky subject. You don’t want the sustenance farmer to die due to a pest infestation that could have been prevented by a safe-enough pesticide, but then again, we really don’t know the long-term effects of said pesticide…what do you do?
African army worms are naturally contained by something that eats them, so how can poor African farmers foster an environment in which the natural enemy of the AAW is welcome to cull the AAW population and attempt to keep the numbers in check. That takes trees.
Birds eat the worms, right? And birds live in trees and bushes, in other words, birds need strong natural habitats full of trees and bushes. Unfortunately, Liberia and most of Africa is experiencing problems with deforestation. A growing human population needs room, and trees are the first to go.
Also, there are better ways to farm organically, and education is needed to attempt to grow adequate amounts of crops for not only the farmer and his or her family, but also the village and the nation.
Liberia, african army worms, Africa, crops, damage, agriculture, state of emergency, Bong County, Guinea, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya, deforestation
January 31st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
This Liberian invasion is unlikely to be the African Armyworm as this pest eats only cereal crops. The BBC keeps publishing erroneous information about the African armyworm alongside stories about the caterpillars eating Liberian lettuces, collards and cocoa, crops it never touches. Other sources add banana, Dahoma trees and other unlikely armyworm foods. Lets hope they use the right control methods and not treat it like the true armyworm.
Regards, Peter
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Peter,
I agree that The Ministry of Agriculture in Liberia certainly needs to be sure that the pesticide and control measures are accurate and are combating the appropriate pest. Army worms do feed on cereals and judging from the pictures of the foliage and the worms, it is unlikely that the pest is the African Armyworm. At first glance of the pictures of the insect, it appears to be the army worm (Spodoptera frugiperda)which is indigenous to the western hemisphere esp. Argentina. I agree that a complete and quick analysis needs to be performed.
Regards,
Ciata A. Bishop