#Food and Agriculture Organization

Fall armyworm has spread to more than 40 per cent of the land under maize in Kenya, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) warned, The Star reported. The pest is estimated to destroy up to 30 per cent of the crop in affected areas. That exposes maize farmers to heavy losses and threatens efforts to grow more food. The pest originated in the Americas. FAO says it has spread to more than 80 countries across Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Europe. It has cut maize yields by up to 73 per cent and caused an estimated $9.4 billion in damage across Africa. FAO pest management expert George Ong'amo spoke at Mabanga Agricultural Training Centre in Bungoma county. The event marked the close of a three-year project on sustainable management of the pest. "Fall armyworm is a serious problem in the country and it is still spreading," he said. He added that losses linked to the infestation are estimated at around 30 per cent. Ong'amo said fall armyworm was first reported in Kenya in 2017. Since then, many farmers have struggled to identify and control it. He said some turned to the wrong pesticides or applied them poorly, which helped the pest build…