Maiz disease affects crop #zambia

A food shortage looms in Migori county after a maize
disease affected the crop in Kuria East and Kuria West
districts.
Farmers in the two regions say most of their crop are
infected with necrosis bacteria.
Last year, the maize disease was detected in South Rift
region.
More than 64,000 hectares were affected and up to 80
percent of the crop was ruined, according to Food and
Agriculture Organisation survey conducted in the region last
year.
The bacteria results from a combination of maize chlorotic
mottle virus and sugarcane mosaic virus.
Sugarcane mosaic virus has previously been detected in
Kenya, but maize chlorotic mottle virus has not, according
to researchers.
"I was expecting a bountiful harvest of 40 bags of maize
from my farm, but the disease stunted growth of my crop,"
said Chacha Marwa, a farmer.
Elijah Gambere, the Migori county government chief officer
in the Ministry of Agriculture said the disease has no cure.
"The only way to control the disease is through practicing
crop rotation, early planting and also
having a closed season where the land is not tilled," he
said.
Gambere urged farmers to plant different crops to avoid
total loss.