EXTENSION OFFICERS AND LEAD FARMERS TRAINED ON INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT OF FALL ARMYWORM (FAW).
- 1st November, 2023 09:13
- By DAUSON.MALELA
- News

The Tanzania
Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) through its center Ukiriguru based in
Mwanza has conducted training to extension officers and lead farmers in
Misungwi district. This training has recently been conducted by a team of
researchers lead by Dr. Abdullah Mkiga (FAW IPM Project-Coordinator).
The main goal of
the training was to create awareness to both lead farmers and extension
officers on the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) against FAW. Among the trained
pest management techniques were push-pull technology, FAW scouting,
identification and conservation of natural enemies (parasitoids and predators),
the use of neem and hot pepper extracts as well as the entomopathogenic fungi.
Mr. Bahati Thobias Mchele (Agric. Extension officer in Misungwi district) said that “the training has been very helpful not only to extension officers but also lead farmers due to the fact that most of farmers use chemical insecticide other than the taught IPM techniques to control FAW which may end up harming their health and the environment if not appropriately used”. He promised to disseminate the IPM technology to the farmers in his areas and beyond through social media platforms, village meeting as well as by establishing demonstration plots near farmers localities to easy leaning process.
“Farmers should
frequently monitor their farms for timely application of the pesticides against
of FAW on their maize farm as well as the use of IPM techniques” Dr. Mkiga
said. Moreover, he also insisted the trainees to be good ambassadors to farmers
so that they get rid of FAW.
Giving her
closing remarks of the training, Ms. Esther Mchalo (Ag. District Agricultural
and Livestock officer-Misungwi district) reminded extension officers and Lead
farmers to make sure that they train more farmers on the taught IPM techniques
through different platforms including village meetings, demonstration plots as
well social media. She thanked the team of TARI Ukiriguru researchers led by Dr.
Mkiga for making the training possible and called upon more training to be made
so that to keep them updated with new technologies as far as agricultural
sector is concern.