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When The Sunday Morning contacted Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. W.M.W.
Weerakoon to inquire whether any decision was reached regarding seeking assistance from
Rwanda or following the same pest control method they had employed, we were informed
that Dr. Weerakoon was only invited for the presentation and was not part of the discussions
that took place between the defence officials thereafter.
“I am not in a position to respond as I was not briefed on the points that were discussed nor
was I consulted as to whether Sri Lanka could employ the same method of pest management
as Rwanda. Moreover, following their field visit, the Rwandan delegation did not share any of
the facts they uncovered with our Department. However, it is said that the team briefed the
Army Commander during their courtesy meeting,” Dr. Weerakoon explained.
Since the FAW invasion was detected in the country in 2018, it was the Horticultural Crop
Research and Development Institute (HORDI) that conducted studies and formulated the
integrated pest control method that is currently in use to address the FAW issue.
However, HORDI experts too had not been consulted regarding importing the technical
know-how or a pesticide to tackle the FAW invasion.
HORDI Principal Scientist ? Entomology Senani Weligamage, when inquired by The Sunday
Morning on how effective a pyrethrins-based pesticide could be when applied to Sri Lanka’s
maize cultivations, said: “The pesticide includes pyrethrins which is a refined extract of
pyrethrum and is toxic not only for the Fall armyworm caterpillar, but would also destroy
arthropods, bees, and other insects that are beneficial to the growth of a plant and to keep
the soil fertile. This type of pesticide should never be administered on a mass scale, and is
only recommended to be applied in isolated localities if required.”
FAW here to stay
Additionally, Weligamage explained that since the FAW invasion is already settled in Sri Lanka,
quick-fix pest control methods will not be the most effective, adding that an integrated pest
control method should be employed.
“In the case of using pyrethrins, all insects that come into contact with it can ingest the
pesticide through contact or by consuming the leaves that the pesticide has been sprayed on
(stomach poisoning). Therefore, if you take a bee that is going to help with the pollination
process, it too could die if it comes in contact with pollen that has the pesticide sprayed on.
That will in return threaten the biodiversity of the country,” Weligamage stressed.
Even Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources at the time, Gerardine
Mukeshimana had said: “Most of the farmers have learnt how to deal with it by collecting and
destroying caterpillars and young moths as well as by spraying pesticide on the infected
maize. But, the Fall armyworm is still a threat. We need farmers to be prepared to fight it
early enough before it wreaks havoc.”
In March 2018, the Rwandan Government, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), launched a campaign to install pheromone traps to
catch moths, which Sri Lanka currently employs as part of the integrated pest control solution
that is in place to tackle the FAW invasion.
Not only pesticides
Given that more than 98% of maize farmers in Rwanda and most African countries are small
landholders growing maize on less than two hectares of land and saving seeds to plant the
next crop, Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources has asked the farmers to
visit their crops regularly to observe if they have caterpillars and remove them by spraying
pesticide as well as manually. If the caterpillars have grown beyond the life cycle, the
pesticides would be effective.
According to the FAO, challenges in mitigating FAW damage include, among others, the lack
of the following: Co-ordination at global, regional, and national levels; effective monitoring and
control techniques; and effective phytosanitary measures and capacity at national level.
Due to its voracious nature and broad host range, the FAW has been designated as one of
the 10 worst pests and diseases threatening global food security (CABI, 2018) and livelihoods.
It is estimated that the FAW has the potential to destroy up to 80 million tonnes of maize
- 122 -
Weerakoon to inquire whether any decision was reached regarding seeking assistance from
Rwanda or following the same pest control method they had employed, we were informed
that Dr. Weerakoon was only invited for the presentation and was not part of the discussions
that took place between the defence officials thereafter.
“I am not in a position to respond as I was not briefed on the points that were discussed nor
was I consulted as to whether Sri Lanka could employ the same method of pest management
as Rwanda. Moreover, following their field visit, the Rwandan delegation did not share any of
the facts they uncovered with our Department. However, it is said that the team briefed the
Army Commander during their courtesy meeting,” Dr. Weerakoon explained.
Since the FAW invasion was detected in the country in 2018, it was the Horticultural Crop
Research and Development Institute (HORDI) that conducted studies and formulated the
integrated pest control method that is currently in use to address the FAW issue.
However, HORDI experts too had not been consulted regarding importing the technical
know-how or a pesticide to tackle the FAW invasion.
HORDI Principal Scientist ? Entomology Senani Weligamage, when inquired by The Sunday
Morning on how effective a pyrethrins-based pesticide could be when applied to Sri Lanka’s
maize cultivations, said: “The pesticide includes pyrethrins which is a refined extract of
pyrethrum and is toxic not only for the Fall armyworm caterpillar, but would also destroy
arthropods, bees, and other insects that are beneficial to the growth of a plant and to keep
the soil fertile. This type of pesticide should never be administered on a mass scale, and is
only recommended to be applied in isolated localities if required.”
FAW here to stay
Additionally, Weligamage explained that since the FAW invasion is already settled in Sri Lanka,
quick-fix pest control methods will not be the most effective, adding that an integrated pest
control method should be employed.
“In the case of using pyrethrins, all insects that come into contact with it can ingest the
pesticide through contact or by consuming the leaves that the pesticide has been sprayed on
(stomach poisoning). Therefore, if you take a bee that is going to help with the pollination
process, it too could die if it comes in contact with pollen that has the pesticide sprayed on.
That will in return threaten the biodiversity of the country,” Weligamage stressed.
Even Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources at the time, Gerardine
Mukeshimana had said: “Most of the farmers have learnt how to deal with it by collecting and
destroying caterpillars and young moths as well as by spraying pesticide on the infected
maize. But, the Fall armyworm is still a threat. We need farmers to be prepared to fight it
early enough before it wreaks havoc.”
In March 2018, the Rwandan Government, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), launched a campaign to install pheromone traps to
catch moths, which Sri Lanka currently employs as part of the integrated pest control solution
that is in place to tackle the FAW invasion.
Not only pesticides
Given that more than 98% of maize farmers in Rwanda and most African countries are small
landholders growing maize on less than two hectares of land and saving seeds to plant the
next crop, Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources has asked the farmers to
visit their crops regularly to observe if they have caterpillars and remove them by spraying
pesticide as well as manually. If the caterpillars have grown beyond the life cycle, the
pesticides would be effective.
According to the FAO, challenges in mitigating FAW damage include, among others, the lack
of the following: Co-ordination at global, regional, and national levels; effective monitoring and
control techniques; and effective phytosanitary measures and capacity at national level.
Due to its voracious nature and broad host range, the FAW has been designated as one of
the 10 worst pests and diseases threatening global food security (CABI, 2018) and livelihoods.
It is estimated that the FAW has the potential to destroy up to 80 million tonnes of maize
- 122 -
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