The Himamaylan City Government is reactivating the Barangay Bantay Peste Brigade in response to the fall armyworm infestation affecting sugarcane plantations and cornfields in the area, a press release from Himamaylan PIO said.
On Thursday, the city government conducted a joint meeting with the Association of Barangay Captains and City Agriculture Office to reactivate the anti-pest program.
CAO provided updates on the purchase of farm chemicals to mitigate the fall army infestation. Earlier this week, Himamaylan City announced that its third and fourth quarter allocated budget for Crop Protection program will be utilized in its pest control efforts.
“We are fast tracking the processing of requests before the infestation spreads to more agricultural areas in Himamaylan,” said Mayor Raymund Tongson.
Barangay officials are also slated to undergo a training course for pest and diseases identification and management, he added.
The Himamaylan local government unit has also requested the Negros Occidental Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) to use a drone for massive spraying of affected farms and areas.
As of June 21, a total of 64.65 hectares of cornfields in three barangays are laden with the pest in its vegetative stage, affecting the livelihood of 124 farmers.
That is an initial report from the City Agriculture Office, which is monitoring the daily situation in the affected areas, Tongson said.
Tongson added that the city government is closely working with the office of Fifth District Rep. Dino Yulo, OPA, Sugar Regulatory Administration, and private groups to combat the attack of the fall armyworm in the locality.
About 50 percent of 18.88 hectares owned by 55 farmers are infested in Brgy. San Antonio; 54 percent of 13.17 hectares are ruined by pests in Brgy. Mahalang, affecting 23 farmers; and 65 percent of the 32.6 hectares of cornfields in Brgy. Carabalan are infested, affecting 46 farmers.
Tongson said the city government is planning to source out corn seeds to be distributed among affected local farmers.
In early reports, a total of 82 hectares of sugarcane plantations in the city were hit by armyworms.
The OPA and SRA have begun the massive spraying of sugarcane fields hit by armyworms in cooperation with private firms in Brgy. Cabadiangan.*
