Bloomberg
Zimbabwe is grappling with the worst outbreak of African armyworms in two decades, with the pest having already spread across the whole country, the government said.
The Ministry of Agriculture has set up 214 surveillance traps, and all districts have chemicals to deal with the infestation, the Information Ministry said in an emailed statement after a cabinet meeting.
The outbreak comes as the nation experiences above-normal rains that have ended the worst drought in 40 years.
Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi declared national states of disaster in 2024 after a lack of rain caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon led to widespread crop failure. The Agriculture Ministry wrote off about three-quarters of Zimbabwe’s production of corn, its staple food.