Burundi: Agricultural region's production hit by pests
"The provinces most affected by plant pests are in the high-temperature zone: Cibitoke, Bubanza and Rumunge. The average agricultural production losses vary between 50% and 60%. The production average is even less than 50% in some areas of Cibitoke western province", says Salvator Sindayihebura, Director General of Agriculture.
He blamed the spread of the pests like autumn caterpillar, the tomato caterpillar, fruit flies and eucalyptus pests, on illicit trade and movements of plant products and pesticides.
"Because agricultural production is the main source of income for households, farmers try to combat diseases and pests using pesticides in an uncontrolled way. This sometimes leads to the resistance of the diseases and pests and consequently endangers human health and the environment", Sindayihebura says.
To address this problem, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has made efforts to fight this illegal practice.
"We have strengthened monitoring activities on the national territory to ban the importation of plants and plant products, as well as unlicensed pesticides without import permits, and identifyingare in the the quarantine pests already introduced", he says.
source: allafrica.com
