uMthunywa
Edson Khumalo
KULANDELA ukuna kwezulu kunsukwana ezisanda kwedlula abalimi bakhangelele ukutshaya inala engcono kulakumnyaka odluleyo, lokhu kungenzakala nxa bengaba lolwazi olugcweleyo ngezibungu lemikhuhlane ehlasela amabele abo.
Ekhuluma lentatheli kaMthunywa enye ingcitshi kwezokulima uMnumzana Alpha Ndlovu onguAgronomist uchaze ukuthi okubangela ukuthi umlimi angabi lesivuno esihle ensimini yakhe loba izulu likhona yikuswela ulwazi olumqoka.
“Esikhathini esinengi okwenza abalimi bengatshayi inala ensimini zabo kungenxa yezibungu ezinjenge-maize stalk borer. Lezi yizibungu ezihlasela amabele zisidla amahlamvu kanye lamahlanga omumbu zenze ukuthi izilimo zingatholi ukudla kwazo kanye lamanzi ngendlela efaneleyo.
“Abalimi baxwayiswa ukuthi babone ukuba amasimu abo ahlala etshaywa ngumoya ngokuhlakula bakhiphe ukhula ngoba yilo olubuya lemikhuhlane lezibungu ezehlukeneyo,” kuchaza uMnu Ndlovu.
“Izibungu lezi zenza izilimo zibe lezikhalakhala emahlamvini okuyikho okwenza ziswabe ngenxa yokuswela amanzi agijimayo emahlamvini azo.”
Ungezelele wathi nxa umlimi angabona amahlamvu esilimo sakhe eselezikhalakhala kumele aqale ukukhathazeka ngoba kutshengisa ukuthi izilimo zakhe sezihlaselwe yizibungu.
“Abalimi bakhuthazwa ukufafaza imithi ezilinyweni nxa sezilamaviki amane zilinyiwe nxa kuyikuthi izibungu lezi seziqalisile ukubonakala loba zingakaqalisi ukwenzela ukuthi umonakalo lo ivikeleke.
Uphinde wathi ukwehlukanisa izilimo ezilinywayo ensimini kuyehlisa amathuba ezibungu ekujayeleni isimo sensimu okwenza ukuthi izibungu lezi ziswele ukudla ezikujayeleyo ezingumumbu, izimfe lamabele.
“Ukutshintshanisa izilimo kuyancitsha izibungu lezi ukudla esezikujayele ezinjengamahlanga. Abalimi kumele balime izilimo bezitshintshanisa ensimini zabo.”
UMnu Ndlovu uphethe ngokuthi ezinye izibungu okumele ziqaphelwe ngezinjenge-African Armyworm kanye lemhogoyi ngoba lazo zivame ukuhlasela amabele.
