SHG Fed seeks Govt attention on fall army worm invasion
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, April 30 2022:
The Kazipphung Self Help Group Federation (K-SHG-F) has drawn attention of the government to the hardships of local farmers, especially women folks who are facing huge crop losses following fall army worm invasion.
In a representation submitted to the district agriculture officer, Ukhrul, the federation's chairperson K Chuihaola urged authorities concerned to immediately depute an expert team to the affected farm sites so as to control the worm infestation.
She further appealed to the authorities to provide potato seeds to the affected farmers to plant the crop in the next season and to also compensate the loss incurred by the farmers of Hungpung village in Ukhrul district.
She informed that there are more than 200 women in Hungpung village who are engaged in farming activities, stating that the loss incurred by them was a big loss for the entire state.
"We, the women of Hungpung, take deep pride in our farm work.
However, sadly, the nature's fury, the unforeseen climatic condition, has devastated our agriculture farms," Chuihaola stated in the representation, a copy of which was forwarded to the agriculture minister.
"The impact of climate change has reached our place.
Today, its Hungpung village, tomorrow, it could be any other places.
We all must do the best we could before it is too late," she said, while urging for immediate government intervention.
Of all the farms infested by the worm, Phungrei farm site located at Kazipphung in the village is said to be the worst affected.
She said that due to the crop loss, the affected farmers are now in dire need of potato seeds for next season, that is, August, to augment their basic needs and revive their organic farms.
Considering the urgency of the matter, deputing expert team is urgently needed to kill the worms and initiate prompt remedial measures as the worm infestation has started affecting the standing green plants.
She also urged government authorities to conduct regular inspection, timely checking, crops rotation, timely application of pesticide, growing of trap crops, installation of light traps, selection of tolerant varieties as a part of the remedial measures.