Cassava Brown Streak Disease Ravages Five Villages in Ayami Sub-county, Lira District
Written by Winnie Auma on March 17, 2025
Five villages in Ayami Sub-county, Lira District, have been severely affected by Cassava Brown Streak Disease, leaving farmers frustrated and struggling with losses.
According to Thomas Obur, the LC3 Chairperson of Ayami Sub-county, the affected villages include Oco, Oco Central, Alok, Wang-arom, and Nga-akwia, all in Walela Parish.
Obur explained that the disease causes cassava stems to dry up and roots to rot, leading to significant crop failure. In response, he reached out to the Ayami Sub-county extension officer to investigate the cause and recommend solutions.
Denis Lemu, the sub-county extension officer, advised farmers to adopt the NARO-Cast 1 cassava variety, which is more resistant to the disease.
Tonny Ojok, one of the affected farmers, said the disease first appeared last year but worsened recently due to a lack of early intervention. He reached out to local leaders for assistance, emphasizing that the outbreak has led to poverty and food shortages among farmers.
Ojok noted that they have been advised to abandon old cassava stems and plant disease-resistant varieties to prevent further outbreaks. However, he called on local leaders to support farmers by providing access to the improved cassava variety to help mitigate the crisis.
