The Adamawa State Government has launched a new pest control campaign, “Fog the Moth,” to curb the growing threat of Fall Armyworm infestation threatening dry season farming across the state.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture, is designed to protect vulnerable crops from Spodoptera frugiperda, an invasive pest that has increasingly endangered dry season cultivation in recent years.
Speaking at the launch, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor David Finchiwa, said the state is adopting a preventive approach that targets the pest at its most critical stage. Rather than waiting for larvae to damage crops, the intervention focuses on eliminating adult moths before they reproduce.
According to him, the use of thermal fogging technology enables pest control teams to destroy flying and hiding moths, effectively disrupting their breeding cycle and reducing the likelihood of widespread infestation.
“This initiative marks a clear departure from the conventional reactive response to pest outbreaks,” Professor Finchiwa explained. “By stopping the moths before they lay eggs, we are preventing losses instead of responding after damage has been done.”
He noted that the campaign is currently targeting dry season maize and Masakwa sorghum, identified as the most vulnerable crops. Priority will be given to farming clusters and communities where sightings of adult moths have already been reported.
The operation is being coordinated by the Department of Agricultural Services, with trained field teams deployed to affected areas. Farmers have been urged to cooperate with the teams to ensure the effectiveness of the exercise.
As part of the intervention, ultra-low volume, high-temperature fogging equipment will be deployed to achieve rapid pest knockdown. The strategy is also expected to limit the carryover of Fall Armyworm into the next wet farming season.
Professor Finchiwa reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to protecting farmers’ livelihoods, emphasizing that proactive, science-driven interventions remain central to Adamawa State’s efforts to boost food security and agricultural productivity.
