Govt reportedly deploys pesticides as fall armyworms detected in Lusaka

Government has reportedly dispatched 10,000 litres of pesticides to Lusaka Province to control the outbreak of Fall Armyworms, following reports of the pest’s presence across the province in mid-December 2025.

The pesticides, identified as Karate, are said to have been procured by the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters and have since been delivered to all six districts in the province.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Lusaka Provincial Administration Principal Public Relations Officer, Logic Lukwanda, the Fall Armyworm infestation had so far remained at low levels.

This had been attributed to consistent rainfall received in most parts of the province, which has helped suppress the spread of the pest.

“However, areas in the Luangwa and Kafue valleys, particularly Chiawa, have experienced lower rainfall amounts and remain under closer monitoring,” Lukwanda said.

He added that the timely intervention was aimed at protecting the maize crop, which is critical to household livelihoods and the country’s overall food security.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Province has claimed a positive performance under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2025/2026 farming season.

As of January 5, 2026, input redemption reportedly stood at 99.57 percent.

“Out of a total of 59,188 registered beneficiaries in the province, 58,932 farmers had successfully redeemed their farming inputs. Only 256 farmers are yet to redeem, largely due to technical challenges, which government says are being addressed urgently,” Lukwanda claimed.

The high redemption rate, he noted, demonstrated strong farmer participation and effective programme implementation ahead of the peak of the farming season.

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