Africa's fight: Invasive Worms and Hunger

Summary:

Many Americans may have a view of Africa as an impoverished and underdeveloped land teeming with dangerous wildlife and diseases. But there are 54 different countries in Africa. Each of them is different, and facing a different set of problems. Some are facing the problems of poverty and underdevelopment and disease, but others are facing different problems. Better developed countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe are facing some different problems, based mainly off of human-environment interaction. Whether it be humans cutting down too many forests to build homes and cities, or South Africans building homes with thicker insulation to combat the brutally hot summers, Africans are developing new and innovative solutions to problems nature has caused for them. The most recent of these problems being the invasive species of hungry worms, fall armyworms. These countries do have the resources to find long term, satisfactory solutions to these types of problems. The “fall armyworms” have begun devastating crops across Africa. Thought to have come to Africa via commercial airlines or imported plants from South America, these small worms live short life spans, reproduce incredibly fast, and eat a ton. This last fact is the most crucial. These tiny worms are eating many of Africa’s most vital crops; maize, wheat, millet, and rice. Their main target, maize (a type of corn), is a main food source for thousands of Africans. This use it in much of their food including a very popular dish called Mieliepap. The loss of the Maize eaten by the armyworms have caused hundreds to go hungry already, and if the situation does not improve, many will starve. But People are not just standing by, they are developing new solutions to the fall armyworms. Local governments have begun spraying pesticides over fields from planes in an attempt to kill the armyworms, this could be dangerous as the full effect of the pesticides on surrounding environments is not yet known. In this way, they could be changing the environment, another key form of human-environment interaction. They are also experimenting with more natural solutions like placing birds in the fields or building ditches around the crops. When a crop field has been overrun so much that no crops are salvageable, farmers have begun burning the field to kill the armyworms. This, surprisingly, has proved effective in killing some of the armyworms. Only one thing is certain, if they cannot find a suitable solution, it will have catastrophic consequences.

Analysis:

I would like to start by saying the article was incredibly interesting and informative. I learned so much about the current situation in Africa and how the fall armyworms and subsequent food shortages have affected many African countries, their economies, and their people. I thought many of the ideas people were thinking of were very innovative and well thought out. Especially the ditches around the food plots and the pesticides being sprayed from the government planes. But I do see some issues with both of these plans. Firstly, the pesticides, I do not like the plan with the pesticides. I think it is incredibly dangerous and could destroy lots of valuable land. This is not a risk I am willing to take. Also the ditches could prevent farmers from extending the food plots. In addition the armyworms could potentially cross the ditches and feast upon the crops. This problem began with human-environment interaction, with the humans depending on the food source, and when that food source was taken away, how they would adapt. Personally I would not adapt by damaging the land anymore than it has already been. The fields have been destroyed, the surrounding trees and plants do not need to be put at risk as well. Humans can not afford to change the environment even more than the armyworms already have. I think the best solution would be to build ditches around the fields and put birds in the field to eat the armyworms. While this is happening they should do extensive tests of the pesticides and their effect on the environment. If the tests show it has no impact on other wildlife, then they should begin spraying the pesticides. My first priority is to not harm nature outside the fields and armyworms. If people begin to starve, then I think more radical steps like pesticides could be put into place. At the end of the day, the goal is to save as many human lives as possible.

Discussion Questions:

Do you agree? How would you solve the fall armyworms? How can we solve this problem without changing or damaging the environment?