The Namibian Government says it is ready to counter a possible outbreak of the Fall Armyworm this year. This, amid reports from various other African countries since the beginning of the year, that the caterpillars have been destroying vast amounts of crops just like they did last year. Chief Agricultural Scientific Officer for Plant Health Control, Eddie Hasheela, tells NBC News that three types of pesticides will be used to destroy the worms. He says in addition to the chemicals, equipment is available to trap the insects on a large scale. The traps will be placed in areas where the worms are spotted, and operate by attracting the male worms in order to disrupt reproduction of the worms. The scientist predicts another outbreak of the Fall Armyworm when rainfall increases, but is optimistic that no major damage will be caused. Last year, great swarms of caterpillars caused havoc in most of the northern and north-eastern parts of the country, destroying crops. Hasheela says the caterpillars will not be eradicated overnight, and will continue to be battled for a few years. He urges farmers to acquire the necessary pesticides to protect their crops from infestation, adding that they should spray them while the worms are still young, to prevent the worms developing resistance to the chemicals as they grow.