This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
Officials in Kenya are attempting to deal with a deadly disease attacking maize crops. Some Kenyan farmers say the disease has reduced crop production by as much as sixty percent.
肯尼亚官员正在设法对付一种攻击玉米作物的致命疾病。一些肯尼亚农民表示，这种疾病已经使作物产量减产高达60%。
Last September, farmers in Bomet reported that a disease was destroying their maize or corn. The disease is called "maize lethal necrosis." It makes the plant turn yellow and dry up. By January, researchers found that the disease was spreading across the country's south and into central and eastern Kenya.
去年九月，博美特（Bomet）地区的农民报告称，一种疾病毁灭了他们的玉米。这种疾病被称为“玉米致命坏死”，它会让作物变黄干枯。到了一月，研究人员发现，这种疾病蔓延到该国南部，并进入到肯尼亚中东部。
Paul Omanga is a crop production officer with the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization. He says a study in July found that maize lethal necrosis had affected more than sixty-four thousand hectares. Up to eighty percent of the crop was ruined. The FAO official warned that if the disease is not controlled, it would have a major effect on maize production in Kenya.
Paul Omanga是联合国粮农组织一名种植业官员。他表示，7月份的一份研究发现，玉米致命坏死已经影响了超过6.4万公顷土地。高达80%的作物被摧毁。这名粮农组织官员警告说，如果不加控制，这种疾病会对肯尼亚的玉米产量产生重大影响。
Muo Kasina is a researcher with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute. He is working with others to fight the disease. But he says there is no known way to treat it.
Muo Kasina是肯尼亚农业研究所的一名研究人员。他与其他同事正致力于对付这种疾病。但他表示没有任何已知办法可以对付它。
KASINA: "The problem is we do not have the experience at all with this disease in Kenya. So for me, I really have no idea at all what I expect to see in the future."
KASINA：“问题是，我们对肯尼亚的这种疾病没有任何经验。所以对我来说，我完全不知道未来会发生什么。”
Researchers are investigating whether maize lethal necrosis is spread by insects or in seeds. When they know that, they may be better able to fight it.
研究人员正在调查这种玉米致命坏死是由昆虫还是种子传播。知道原因后他们可能就能更好地对付它。
The FAO's Paul Omanga says he and others are telling farmers about the importance of crop rotation. But he says farmers must take more extreme action if they suspect the disease has infected their crops.
粮农组织的Paul Omanga表示，他和其他人正向农民宣传轮作的重要性。但他表示，如果农民怀疑其作物已经被疾病感染，他们就必须采取更加极端的行动。
PAUL OMANGA: "Another one is ensuring that, in affected fields, you destroy all the plants. You can even burn them or make fodder for livestock. The stems, the leaves, you make fodder for livestock. But you should not leave those affected plants to stay in the field because the virus will remain in that to infect another crop."
PAUL OMANGA：“另一点就是要确认毁掉被感染农田的所有作物。你甚至可以烧掉它们，或用作牲畜饲料。茎和叶可以用来做牲畜饲料。但不能把这些被感染的作物留在地里，因为病毒将会继续感染其它作物。”
Paul Omanga says he is concerned about Kenya's food stability.
Paul Omanga表示，他对肯尼亚的粮食安全非常担心。
OMANGA: "This is causing some concern because maize is the staple food and any threat to maize production is a threat to food security in Kenya."
OMANGA：“这会引发一些担忧，因为玉米是主食，在肯尼亚，对玉米产量的任何威胁就是对粮食安全的威胁。”
America's Agency for International Development says the poorest Kenyans spend twenty-eight percent of what they earn on maize.
美国国际开发署表示，肯尼亚最贫穷的人口要花费28%的收入在玉米上。
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