This Monday, Zambian Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo said official records have confirmed the existence of the virus in seven districts in Luapula and North-Western Provinces. He told reporters at a press briefing that the disease outbreak was a threat to the country’s food security as cassava is the second most important food crop after maize.
The Ministry will need about 5 million Zambian Kwacha ($465,375) to effectively manage and contain the disease, Katambo said. The Ministry has restricted the movement of planting materials from the affected areas, he said, calling on farmers to plant disease-free cassava tubers.
According to africa.cgtn.com, researchers from the Zambian Agricultural Research Institute say that the disease could have originated from neighboring countries.
