Vegetable Farming in Zambia: How Diamondback Moth Led Us To Quit Cabbage Broccoli and Cauliflower

We often see stories of successful agricultural projects. But the reality is that vegetable farming can sometimes be ugly and brutal, with farmers often having to make tough decisions. Pests like Diamondback moth may be small in size, but their impact on Brassica crops like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage can be devastating.
We share how we fought DBM in our Westgate fields for months with a range of chemical and organic pesticides, before finally having to surrender to a serious infestation.
WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS IMAGES OF A DISTURBED AND FRUSTRATED EMERGING FARMER WHO HAS LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND HUNDREDS OF MAN-HOURS.
Disclaimer: Mondo Farms Limited makes no claim about the efficacy or otherwise of any of the products or brands mentioned herein. We simply seek to share our experience of applying them to these particular crops in these particular instances.

[@kingfordhaakalaki2672]

Thanks for sharing.. we were hit by DBM in our first crop of cabbage and quickly made a decision to sell it whilst we could.. I agree with you, DBM is deadly. I love your shadenet structure

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks for sharing!

[@nasonmwelwa6435]

There was still alot of life in the cabbage.. iv found mectin plus, snow beast very effective pesticides

[@mondofarms4343]

Indeed. The DBM situation was bad at the time, and we decided to stop growing cabbage. We moved onto other crops, but may come back to cabbage one day.

[@aspiringfarmer]

Sorry to see DBM as a pest of economic importance to your farm. Good spray efforts but believe the amount applied is too much (actually washing)! This increases chance for resistance to most of the molecules used. Please reach out for help on Safe Use of Pesticides: Spray Techniques + Timings. For DBM Management: we can support on Pheromones + Parasitoids (Trichogramma spp.) to manage your DBM. Thanks for sharing!

[@mondofarms4343]

Indeed

[@sharpysimwawa583]

Your videos are very helpful and encouraging.

[@mondofarms4343]

Glad you like them!

[@cohenenland1362]

Which province in zambia is your farm located

[@cohenenland1362]

Got it chongwe.

[@mondofarms4343]

Great.

[@muzingayengwenya4587]

Following you from Scotland, We sympathies with you badaala🙏 We wish you all the best in the coming seasons. Many thanks for sharing your experiences, we value and respect this effort...

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks

[@mwewashamende4790]

Next time you have DBM try to use Cartap Hydroxide. It will be like they never even existed in your field.

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks.

[@TheBembagirl]

Thanks for sharing the video. It gives the good, bad and ugly of farming. But despite that, it's still an inspirational story. God bless.

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks

[@Mfzambia]

Marvelous video sir. Keep sharing useful tips

[@mondofarms4343]

Thank you, I will

[@MsKalumbu]

Mudala shani.. Trust you and the family are well. Just watched your video. What can I say.. It's a learning experience, believe me I know. We should link up sometime and share war stories. I am currently at war with Tuta, if you thought DBM was nasty, there's another one.

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks. I can only imagine... I have heard so many stories from tomato farmers about Tuta and how utterly ruthless it can be. I guess it is all in the name, right? Tuta Absoluta. All the best.

[@patiencejeranyama7213]

This DBM is just too bad it has done this to our cabbages uumm am in pain.

[@wakunda2303]

Thanks for the information. After the bad deed by these Diamondback moths, have you found the solution to this problem? Or never again venture into these crops?

[@mondofarms4343]

No we haven't gone back into brassicas since last year. we have been considering planting them again as the weather gets colder. if so we will make sure to curtail planting as the summer gets here in Aug. But as farmers, we really gain advantage from successfully planting a crop off season. That would mean you are the only one able to supply when others cannot and thus command a better price a tthe time. But generally planting off season is quite difficult, as we learnt last year when we carried on with cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and broccoli into August/September.

[@martinsalale1025]

Kkkk not presidential housing inciative, sorry for that lose experience,a good lesson us,I think overhead irrigation helps control these Dbm using sprinklers,the eggs are washed away,the circle is disturbed.

[@SufiyanPatel-xb5uw]

Try vertical farming indoor . For light use solar panel thru leds. U can prevent this.

[@mondofarms4343]

okay