A farmer checks an anthill in a garden at Kyevunze village in Luweero District. PHOTO | DAN WANDERA
Mr Simon Ssenfuma, a retired veterinary doctor and farmer is among the many farmers who believe anthills and termites are enemies of the farmer because of the numerous destructive characteristics including the destruction of particular farm structures that are wooden.
While the anthills that shelter the termites underneath the ground from direct water and heat from the sun appear like any other obstacle that may not directly affect the farmer activities, a section of the farmers share a different view and are applying different methods to have both the anthills and termites destroyed.
Ssenfuma cites the destruction of the seedbed nursery structures where the termites destroy the dry grasses and eat up the wood poles as reasons to have the anthills removed from his garden.
“My workers are not happy that I have made up my mind to destroy the anthills. The more than 12 anthills consume big space on my 4-acre farmland. The biggest challenge is when they eat up the grass used for mulching at the banana and coffee plantation including the nursery bed shelters made of grass and wood. I have not gained anything from the anthills and the termites though my workers occasionally enjoy the white ants,” he says.
Co-existing
But Joseph Sserwanga, a senior agriculturalist and deputy principal at Bukalasa Agricultural College located in Luweero District believes that the farmer, anthills and the termites can co-exist as long as the human activities do not interfere with the natural sources of food for the termites.
“The termites may not directly attack and destroy the crops unless their natural sources of food have been destroyed. They collect the organic matter stored as food. The anthills are not just a huge mound but home for the queen, the workers and the soldiers that have different assignments inside the anthill,” he says. While it is argued by some that soils around the anthills could be fertile, the fact that anthill soils are clayish (heavy) with less space for ventilation make the soils less fertile since they lack the spaces for air penetration. Generally the loam soils that are usually not part of the mound that form an anthill are the best farming soils, Mr Sserwanga explains.
Mr Amos Ssesanga, a farmer at Wabinyonyi Sub-county in Nakasongola District has lived with the termites at his farm for more than 15 years. While the termites can be destructive to the fruit trees including the oranges and young mango plants, the application of chemicals to scare away the termites is the basic alternative at Ssesanga’s fruit farm.
“Because we do not intend to completely destroy the termites, we at times apply repellent chemicals directly sprayed on the fruit tree stems or stumps. We apply Termidor 96 SC, Boric acid, among other chemicals, to do away with the termites,” he says.
While the anthills are known to occupy large space that would accommodate the plant material, the biggest danger comes with the large anthills that have multiple tunnels used by the worker termites.
The space occupied by the anthill could have an impact if the anthills are many.
Mr Abby Ssebamala , a soil scientist, says that some large anthills measure upto two meters wide.
While the nutrient recycling from the anthills could trickle a fertility factor and bring about soil fertility in areas next to the anthill, the fertility is only limited to that particular section of the land.
“It is not good to keep several of the large termite mounds in a single garden because of the space factor. The advice to the farmer is to weigh the good side for the anthills to make an informed decision. It is also true that particular types of termites help in the aeration of the soils but a larger percentage of the anthill soil lacks the nitrogen, Zinc among other nutrients,” he says.
How to avoid the termites
Mr Joseph Sserwanga, a soil scientist and lecturer at Bukalasa Agricultural College, advises farmers to use treated poles for construction of the different farm structures.
The poles can also get exposed to fire to ensure that the tail end fixed in the soil has the charcoal like appearance and smell to deter the termites from eating up the wooden poles.
Cultural way
The termites can be controlled by allowing the natural bushes, shrubs, trees to grow near the garden. The termites feed on the organic material collected from the falling leaves, tree branches that get transported to the anthills. The termites will not attack the plants if their natural food sources are spared, the soil scientists reveal.
Myths about anthills
A section of soil scientists say that different cultures have a special place for anthills located on their respective land which is not scientifically explained. Mr Isaac Musoke is an extension farmer who has worked with different local governments in the Central and North- western parts of Uganda.
KEY FACT
In contrast to modern technologies, indigenous termite control practices do not involve as termite control chemicals as they utilise locally available bio resources. Hence, indigenous termite control practices may be propagated and promoted not only for the benefit of the people but also for maintaining agricultural sustainability and ecological balance.
