Local researchers are looking into ways of tackling the disease that has been devastating cassava in East Africa as Tanzania is setting laws to fight the spread of banana wilt that has affected hundreds of acres of the crop in Kagera Region.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Adam Malima
“Our researchers are the best in the region as far as cassava, maize and rice, among others, are concerned. They are now studying the best ways of tackling the disease,” the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Mr Adam Malima, told the ‘Daily News’ in a telephone interview.
Scientists say the disease, dubbed Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD), is attacking plants and thus threatening productivity of the crop, which feeds about 500 million people in Africa.
“The extremely devastating results are already dramatic today but could be catastrophic tomorrow if nothing is done to halt the spread of CBSD”, scientist Claude Fauquet, co-founder of the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century, has told Associated Press.
The cassava disease is widespread along the Indian Ocean coast of East Africa, affecting Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. In the past, it had not struck at high altitudes. But recently, the disease has been found at up to 1,500 metres above sea level in Tanzania’s lake zones, Uganda and DR Congo.
A moderate infection with up to 30 per cent root damage decreases the market value of cassava tubers drastically, to less than US 5 dollars a ton instead of US 55 dollars, according to a study published last year in the journal “Advances in Virology”.
“Recent estimates indicate that CBSD causes economic losses of up to US 100 million dollars annually to the African farmer and these are probably an underestimate as the disease has since spread into new areas,” the article said.
Africa produced 150 million tons of the global harvest of 250 million tons last year, with Nigeria alone producing 50 million tons, according to Fauquet.
Meanwhile, Tanzania has decided to set laws to fight the spread of banana wilt that has affected the crop in Kagera Region. The decision will see village teams formed to fight the spread of banana bacterial wilt to enforce by-laws to stop further spread of the disease.
Kagera Regional Commissioner Fabian Massawe told the ‘Daily News’ yesterday that the taskforce will be given powers to fine or prosecute anyone found breaking the laws to be passed by the district local councils of Bukoba Rural, Muleba, Karagwe, Biharamulo, Ngara, Missenyi and Kyerwa.
Mr Massawe said the teams will advise farmers to report the affected banana plantations and seek advice on how to deal with the affected plants. He said once the laws are passed, farmers who fail to report the infected plantations on time, will be fined 500,000/- or risk imprisonment for six months.
The teams, which are headed by local leaders, will inspect banana plantations every month to identify those affected by the disease and give a report to the team at subcounty level.
Mr Massawe added that if the teams fail to enforce the bylaws, all banana plantations will be put under quarantine to restrict banana products from being transported to other places.
He said the disease had spread to all parts of the district and it required a combined effort to control it. The disease has forced farmers to sell off their plantations cheaply and threatened food security in the area. The RC advised farmers to cut and bury the affected plants.
He added that the tools used to cut the affected plants must be washed or heated in fire to prevent the spread of the disease. The disease has since last year threatened food security and income of many people, according to interviews done by ‘Daily News’ last week, noting that the disease requires commitment but most farmers have relaxed on its prevention and control.
“Emphasis will be put on mobilizing and sensitizing farmers on the disease control, dissemination of messages on the spread and control, farmer trainings, demonstrations and legal frameworks, including the bylaws and ordinances,” he said.
Warning against political interference, Mr Massawe cited an example of Mbarara District in Uganda, which they visited recently, where bylaws have played a big role in reducing the spread of the disease.
