Millipede invasion devastates crops in Aweil North County

AWEIL – A swarm of millipedes has invaded farms in Aweil North County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, destroying crops and raising fears of food insecurity.

Majak Mawein Kuch, Director of Agriculture at the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed on Saturday that the pests have affected three payams (administrative districts) – Malual North, Makem North, and Malual West.

“We at the state ministry of agriculture have confirmed three payams that millipedes have invaded and destroyed crops,” Kuch said. “These are the areas where our farmers cultivated the largest feddans (land units).”

According to Kuch, the damage caused by both white and red millipedes is extensive, posing a significant threat to food security in the affected areas.

“This is a serious issue that needs an immediate response from the national ministry of agriculture and food security,” Kuch stressed. “Millipede outbreaks are not new, but this one is particularly devastating.”

He urged the national government to intervene before the situation worsens, potentially leading to hunger for the local population.

Millipedes, scientifically classified as Diplopoda, are non-venomous arthropods with segmented bodies and two pairs of legs per segment.

While not harmful to humans directly, they can cause significant damage to crops by feeding on leaves and other plant parts.