Local farmers in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) border town of Pochalla have reported an infestation of their field crops by swarms of worms and are appealing for intervention.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, several farmers said their hopes are dwindling as they helplessly watch their crops being destroyed.
One farmer, Okwom Otwer, said the extent of the damage was shocking.
“This year, the rains started earlier, and so did planting, filling us with hope of a good harvest to sufficiently feed ourselves,” he said. “However, as we speak, our farms are being infested by worms targeting maize—leaves, stems, and cobs.”
Another farmer, Omot Oman, appealed for help. “This problem started a week ago. Our maize plants are withering in the fields because of these worms. We will have no harvest if this continues, so we are asking for intervention.”
Otho Okoti, the Pochalla South County commissioner, also expressed concern over the infestation and called on agricultural agencies to assess the situation and assist farmers.
“We assessed the situation and found that about 100 farmers have had their maize crops affected by this,” he said. “We lack pesticides to address the problem, so we are appealing for help—otherwise, we may face hunger this year.”
Pest issues significantly impact agriculture in South Sudan, affecting plant health and livelihoods, particularly for rural households that depend on farming. Common pests include grasshoppers, bollworms, fall armyworms, cassava whiteflies, cutworms, African armyworms, and aphids.