CIBITOKE, November 15th (ABP) – Around ten hectares of various crops have already been ravaged by snails in recent weeks on the Ruvumera hill, Kiramira zone, Rugombo commune, in Cibitoke province.
According to the head of the Kiramira zone, Jean Marie Nduwimana, these pests of maize, beans, cassava, cocoyams and others, which have just destroyed crops all over the Ruvumera hill, had already been seen on the Kiramira II sub-hill two or three years ago.
In the absence of a suitable and affordable plant protection product, the population is content to collect them and destroy them (by fire) with ash. This is not an easy practice, as people have to get up before sunrise to collect them. Those who live far from their fields have to hire people to collect the snails, otherwise all their crops are destroyed in such a short time.
The head of the Kiramira zone is appealing to the provincial office for the environment, agriculture and livestock (BPEAE) and other partners to find a solution to this situation, in order to help farmers before the worst happens.
Edymond Uwobikundiye, head of training and plant production at the BPEAE, says there is a product called ‘Metaldehyde’ that can be used to repel these pests. The only problem is that the product is no cheaper, costing around 120,000 BIF per kilogram, we were told. He urges those who can find the means to buy it, to deal with these snails.