Farmers in Chiúre District, in Cabo Delgado Province, have expressed serious concern about the intense proliferation of rats, which is severely affecting the ongoing 2024/2025 agricultural season. The situation is particularly critical in the administrative posts of Ocua, Namogelia, and Katapua, where producers fear significant crop losses.
According to the farmers, the presence of the pest was noticed at the very beginning of land preparation, during the field-clearing phase. Since then, the rats have multiplied at an alarming rate and have begun attacking the seeds immediately after they are planted.
“We have been suffering since the start of the campaign. When we began clearing the fields, there were already huge rats, and up to now, the seeds we plant end up serving as food for them. It seems we haven’t even managed to sow properly,” lamented Jorge Mário, one of the affected farmers.
He added that despite efforts to control the pest, including the use of chemical products available on the local market, the results have been almost nonexistent, putting the entire agricultural campaign at risk.
“Even with the chemical products we tried to use to fight the rats, nothing is working. This campaign is seriously compromised,” he said, comparing the current situation to the devastating impacts caused by Cyclone Chido, which hit the region at the beginning of last year. “Last year we were struck by the cyclone, and this year we are facing this rat infestation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Geremias, another farmer interviewed by phone from the administrative post of Katapua, confirmed that the problem is not limited to a specific locality but affects the entire Chiúre District. According to him, the rat infestation is widespread and has created an atmosphere of uncertainty among producers who depend on agriculture for their livelihood.
Given this worrying scenario, Jorge Mário appealed to local authorities and the district government to intervene urgently by providing appropriate chemical products and technical assistance to help farmers combat the pest and save the agricultural campaign.
Farmers hope that a swift response from the relevant authorities will help minimize losses and ensure food security for families in the region, which is heavily dependent on agricultural production. (Abel Buruhane)
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