Armyworms

Armyworms are on the march and creating havoc.  Lush green fields of maize are now riddled by the pests that have wiped out entire crops this year.  Zambia is the breadbasket of sub-Sahara Africa producing maize for themselves as well as for export to the neighboring countries of Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Fears of famine and escalating prices are current topics of conversation at every gathering and no one seems to have an answer as to how to stop the march of the armyworms.

The Zambian government has deployed planes to spray pesticides on the crops but the locals say it is making very little difference since the worms live deep within the maize stalks and are not touched by the chemicals.  Food is never in plentiful supply in many households and this new crisis will certainly not ameliorate an already desperate situation.