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The outbreak of fall army worm and destruction caused by elephants in the Central District are said be a threat to food security.
In an interview with BOPA, the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security Public Relation Officer, Mr Clifas Kemiso said if not properly controlled, the two would leave farmers empty-handed.
Mr Kemiso stated that due to the recent good rains, most farmers managed to plough, but their efforts were nullified by both the army worm and elephants.
He advised farmers to seek immediate assistance from agricultural demonstrators in their areas to secure the right pesticides for the worms, which he said were easiest to control when the larvae were still very small. Meanwhile, he said some farmers in the district had complained about the excessive damage caused by elephants.
Mr Kemiso said the damage caused by elephants was excessive and appealed for prompt intervention from the relevant authorities.
He said some farmers spent money hiring people to assist in clearing weeds this year, which they may never recover, if elephants continued to raid their farms. Some farmers said they reported the incidents to the relevant officers, but the officers never came to assess the damage.