Huambo - A plague that has yet to be identified is destroying reindeer potato crops in Calenga commune, Caala municipality, in central Huambo Province, a situation that could jeopardise the harvest in the 2023/202024 agricultural campaign.
According to the farmers, heard by ANGOP, the devastating action of the insects, which are proliferating in various agricultural fields, is causing the leaves of the reindeer potato plants to dry out and hindering the development of production.
The plague is also destroying vegetable crops, which is jeopardising the production levels of local farmers, who can do little or nothing to stop the plague spreading to other fields.
For this reason, they are asking for the immediate intervention of the relevant authorities so that emerging ways can be found to contain the action of the insects, through dispersal or even definitive elimination.
In this regard, the local authorities promise to comment on the situation at any time.
The commune of Calenga, one of the four that make up the municipality of Caála, has production potential for maize, beans, vegetables and various fruit crops, which, under acceptable conditions, could reach 80,000 tonnes each agricultural season.
Bridge deterioration
In the same location, road traffic on the Calenga/Cossito stretch could be interrupted at any moment due to the vandalisation of the bridge over the Chianga river by unidentified citizens.
Located just under 10 kilometres south of the Calenga commune headquarters, the thieves vandalised the left span, from Calenga to the village of Cossito, which is destroying the bridge deck, which is already preventing vehicles from circulating on the same section.
The metal bridge over the Chianga River, just 30 metres long and seven metres wide, with a capacity to support up to 60 tonnes, connects the communal headquarters to the villages of Cossito, Cassupi, Cangongo, Sanzala-Mota, Suku-Ondjali, Lobalaca, Evila, Ngolo and Mandele, considered to be the largest productive areas in Calenga.
JSV/ALH/MRA/jmc
