Zandisile Luphahla
With 33 farming towns already affected by outbreaks of brown locusts, the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform had procured aerial support to combat the scourge.
Adult locust swarms have already grown to include hatching of a new generation of hoppers. Especially in the Pixley ka Seme District (Karoo belt), the Department, farmer unions and farmers have joined hands. Aerial spraying would be undertaken with one helicopter marked for affected farming towns in the western areas and one spraying the eastern section.
By time of this statement, swarms on the N10 and N12 highways had been removed and as farmers are being trained to control these swarms, spraying of hard to reach areas had already started. Since last month, farmer training had been undertaken in Warrenton, Jan Kempdorp, Prieska, Niekerkshoop, Kliprand, Vosburg, Carnarvon, Britstown and surrounding areas.
The most affected areas are Marydale, Groblershoop and Kenhardt in the Pixley ka Seme and ZF Mgcawu Districts in the province.
Meanwhile, farmers across the country had been urged to contact their local Agri Departments with information about sightings of these locusts.
Issued by the Northern Cape department of agriculture, environmental affairs, rural development and land reform.
