President Edgar Lungu President has directed the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the Office
of the Vice-President to join the Ministry of Agriculture in an emergency operation to curb the spread of army worms that
have invaded some districts on the Copperbelt, Luapula and Central Provinces.
In a statement released by Statehouse Press and Public Relations Aide Amos Chanda the operation involves among other Government agencies, the Ministry of Agriculture, DMMU and the Zambia Air force (ZAF).
Mr. Chanda states that the Zambia Air Force has since began to airlift chemicals to Ndola on the Copperbelt, Chinsali in Muchinga Province, Kasama in Northern Province and Chipata in Eastern Province.
He states that the District Agriculture Coordinators (DACOs) for Lusaka, Luapula and North Western Provinces have already collected the chemicals.
Mr. Chanda states that the President has directed that the chemicals that were purchased under emergency operations should be distributed to all parts of the country although the outbreak of army worms has been reported on the Copperbelt, Luapula and Central Provinces.
He states that the DMMU and Ministry of Agriculture will be doing random checks across the country tomorrow (Thursday) to
ensure that the emergency operation of spraying was going on as directed.
He states that the President is concerned that if the outbreak of the worms is not controlled speedily, the crop yield for 2016/2017 may negatively be affected.
Mr Chanda states that the President has assured farmers that all provinces will receive the chemicals by tomorrow morning.
He states that all DACOs are expected to closely monitor the operations against army worms and provide regular reports on the situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment