(Business in Cameroon) - This year, the fall armyworm has destroyed about 75% of Cameroon’s cereal production. This is revealed by  Louisette Clémence Bamzok in charge of agriculture development at the ministry of agriculture and rural development.  

To stop the worm’s attacks, Cameroon has launched a support program this month, May 2018 with the financial support of Food and Agriculture Organization which disbursed CFA120 million.

The program which will be implemented for 18 months will help circumcise the ravages caused by the fall armyworm. In that regard, two pesticides were certified by the government in March 2018.

Though the worm has already destroyed fields in 7 out of the country’s 10 regions, the destructions were more prevalent in the North where 36,700 hectares were destroyed in 2017, official sources revealed.

The ravages will mostly affect people in the Northern regions (North, Far-North, and Adamaoua where about one-third of the country’s population live) since cereals (corn, sorghum, and millet) are the staple foods in those regions. It is however important to note that in recent years, the population in that region has increased due to refugees arrival (refugees who are fed by the World Food Program).

In addition, the drop in cereal production will also affect the poultry sector (Corn being the main element for feed grains) which has already been hit by the avian flu outbreak in 2016 and in 2017.

Brice R. Mbodiam