Victims In Zota And Jorquelleh Districts Seek Urgent Assistance
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Reports from Zota District in the central Bong County say caterpillar worms have invaded farms in the this area and Jorquelleh District, leaving farmers with no other option but to stay away from farming activities in the districts.
www.sciencing.com says: “Caterpillars are not worms, although they are cold-blooded like worms. Caterpillars belong to the second largest order of insects, called Lepidoptera. … Caterpillars are the larvae of moths or butterflies.”
The Zota and Jorquelleh Districts are situated over 232 kilometers east of Monrovia.
This Reporter, who visited the area, saw residents of Wolokpolu Clan, Zota District and Gbarney Town in Jorpolu clan, District #4 are currently unable to continue their farming activities as a result of the caterpillar worm invasion.
“Over 1,500 inhabitants of the Wolokpolu clan have long been involved in cultivating crops like rice, cassava, corn and eddoes, among others, as farming is a major source of income for the inhabitants in that part of Zota and Jorquelleh Districts.
Residents are now living with the fear that there might be food shortage in the coming months in the clan, if nothing is done urgently to assist farmers get rid of the caterpillars that are destroying their crops,” Josiah Flomo, a resident of Zota told journalist.
Mr. Flomo revealed that the caterpillars have blocked pathways to various farms roads, adding the caterpillars are hanging on the branches of trees to the ground, to the extent that they are falling into wells and creeks that are also used by citizens for drinking.
James Halawaga is the town chief of Gbarney. He says the caterpillar invasion hit the town about a week ago thus preventing citizens from going on their various farms.
He is worried that if nothing is done, the situation might worsen as the caterpillars are taking over crops and drinking water in the town and surrounding areas.
The Gbarney Town chief narrated that farmers are finding it extremely difficult in reaching to their gardens.
Mr. Halawaga added, “The caterpillars can block the farm roads than we can be jumping in the coco bushes to go on our farmers, even on the various farms they are there.
Gbarney Town is situated in Electoral District#3 in Bong County around the Gbarnga Lofa high way few Miles away from the main road.
The victims of the caterpillar worms’ invasion have meanwhile, appealed to national Government through the County Health Team (CHT) and the Agriculture Ministry to help them bring the situation under control through the use of the required insecticides that will get rid of the caterpillar worms in the clan.
Produce from local farms in both Zota and Jorquelleh Districts are mostly transported to Monrovia in Montserrado County, because of the good road and connectivity that links the district to the county’s capital, and also the high prices their farm produce fetch in the city.