By Hallie Gu and Ryan Woo
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Known locally as the “heart-devouring worm,” the [Fall Armyworm] has spread more than 3,000 km (1,865 miles) north since migrating from neighboring Myanmar seven months ago, reaching 21 provinces and regions in China and posing a grave threat to grain output.
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This poses a formidable challenge in China where about 90% of crop production comes from small farms of less than a hectare (2.5 acres) and owners lack basic knowledge and resources to tackle the pest.
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In Yunnan, the government has set up 3,500 monitoring sites at local agriculture bureaus and conducted frequent field inspections, the provincial agriculture bureau said in an email to Reuters.
Local authorities have also provided training to farmers and pesticide dealers on identification and prevention of armyworm, the bureau added.
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