An invasive mealybug is devastating pawpaw gardens in Kitgum district, significantly reducing yields and incomes for farmers, according to a new study by the district entomologist, Barnabas Opiyo.

The study found that farmers lose an average of 161 kilograms of pawpaw per acre to the pawpaw mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus), an invasive pest that has become widespread across northern Uganda.

The losses represent nearly 13 per cent of the expected average yield of 1,267 kilogrammes per acre, translating into substantial income losses for smallholder farmers who depend on pawpaw cultivation for their livelihoods.

The pest attacks leaves, stems and fruits, coating them with a white, cotton-like waxy substance that contaminates the fruit, reduces its quality and lowers its market value.

Opiyo’s study surveyed 381 farmers in high-risk sub-counties and found that awareness of the pest is almost universal. About 99.4 per cent of respondents were able to identify the mealybug, while 63 per cent referred to it by its local name, “Kwidi Paipai.”

The research also found that 62.5 per cent of farmers reported more severe infestations during the dry season when rainfall is limited. However, many respondents said the pest persists throughout the year, a trend the study attributes to increasing climate variability.

The study found that most farmers rely on traditional methods to control the pest, with wood ash emerging as the most widely used management practice. Adoption of chemical pesticides remains low due to their high cost and limited technical knowledge among farmers.

“Farmers largely rely on indigenous and low-cost management strategies, especially the use of wood ash, while adoption of chemical control remains limited,” the study observed.

The research further revealed that farmers’ ability to identify and manage the pest varies according to age, education level and location, highlighting persistent gaps in agricultural extension services.

Opiyo recommended strengthening extension services through targeted farmer training, translating extension materials into local languages and scientifically validating indigenous pest-control practices.

Kitgum district production officer Denish Ocira said the insects’ cotton-like coating shields them from natural predators and reduces the effectiveness of contact pesticides. He advised farmers to use systemic pesticides, which are absorbed into the plant’s tissues and sap. The chemicals are ingested by the mealybugs as they feed, eventually killing the pests.

Farmers say the mealybug first appeared in Kitgum in 2020 and has continued to spread, causing widespread damage to orchards. Patrick Okello, a pawpaw farmer in Labongo Amida sub-county, said the infestation has sharply reduced his earnings.

“I have about 100 pawpaw trees. I used to earn at least Shs 3 million every year from selling pawpaw, but now many fruits dry up before maturity. The insects cover the fruits and leaves, making them unattractive to buyers,” Okello said.

Juliet Adong, another farmer from the same sub-county, said the pest has turned what was once a dependable source of household income into an increasingly uncertain enterprise.

“Before these insects appeared, pawpaw helped me pay school fees and meet family needs. Now the fruits are fewer and smaller, and I sell them cheaply,” Adong said.

Pawpaw is widely grown across Kitgum district for both household consumption and commercial sale. Farmers warn that unless effective control measures are implemented, the invasive mealybug will continue to reduce yields, depress incomes and threaten livelihoods across the district.

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