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Armyworm expert riled, resigns in protest
2006-03-01 07:19:54
By Adam Ihucha, Arusha
The only armyworm forecast expert in Africa, Wilfred Mushobozi has resolved to resign over what he described as a ’syndicate,’ shrouding the efforts to control the armyworms disaster currently engulfing the nation.
Expressing his intention at a press conference yesterday, Mushobozi said: ’’ Some people have enriched themselves through this disaster by selling pesticides that were supposed to be distributed for free to poor farmers.’’
The expert displayed a litre of Dursban chemical batch No. SL 07272077 which is one of the pesticides ordered by the government for distribution to poor farmers free of charge.
He said, however, the pesticides were dubiously made available on markets in Moshi and Arusha at throw-away prices.
’’I’m really disappointed by this dishonesty and the way my early warning over armyworms outbreak was treated,’’ he explained, adding: ’’I resolved to resign because of the gross negligence on the part of some of my senior officials. The nation has been put to shame.’’
The expert said he had already written a letter to the permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Marketing, requesting him to give him green light to resign in public interest, Mushobozi explained.
In his letter to the PS, Mushobozi said: ’’ Despite playing my role of predicting the armyworm disaster, I cannot disassociate myself from gross negligence by some officials that has resulted in destruction of crops.’’
The expert who worked at the Tengeru- based, National Armyworm Forecasting Services (AFS) Center, for the last 15 years, warned of an imminent disaster of huge numbers of the marauding pests, on 18th January 2006 .
He said early warning e-mail went to Plant Protection Services (PPS) headquarter in Dar-es-salaam, Disaster department within the Prime minister’s office and FAO Dar-es-Salaam for action, but to his surprise no action was taken to rescue the nation from this catastrophe.
Available data indicate that 100,000 hectares of crops in the country have been invaded by the pests and the disaster is set to worsen as rain falls in some parts of the country.
Addressing a press conference in Arusha on 5th February 2006, Mushobozi mentioned the regions where major outbreaks would occur as including Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma. Others are Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, Dodoma , Singida, Tabora and Rukwa.
’’I wish to alert farmers and pastoralists in Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, Dodoma, Singida, Tabora and Rukwa of impending armyworms outbreaks” he told reporters.
’’Thousands of hectares of maize, sorghum, rice, wheat and other cereal crops in those regions are at risk, the expert cautioned.
Mushobozi also warned pastoralists in those regions, saying they should avoid grazing in armyworm infested pastures due to high level of Cyanide, a poisonous gas being released by grass in response to armyworms attacks.
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