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Support to AU-DREA in Reinforcement of Plant Health Governance in Africa through Coordinated Management of the Fall Armyworm – Spodoptera Frugiperda (PHGOV-FAW) - TCP/RAF/3614

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 10

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The Fall Armyworm ( was first detected in central and western Africa in 2016 Native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, the FAW feeds on over 80 species of plant Many of these, including maize, rice, sorghum, millet, sugarcane, cotton and various vegetables, are important crops in Africa The pest spread quickly to other sub regions of the continent, and by mid 2017 28 countries in sub Saharan Africa had reported the presence of FAW Pest outbreaks in many African countries are generally controlled with the use of agrochemicals (mainly pesticides) Oftentimes, pesticides are deployed at high concentrations, thereby increasing the risk of pesticide residue in produce The reliance on these chemicals to control pests increases production costs and poses risks to human health and the environment This project was formulated to facilitate a coordinated response to managing the FAW throughout sub Saharan Africa The Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture ( of the African Union played a major role in this response, by working to mobilize political support and commitment to effectively and sustainably manage the FAW at continental level The DREA also supported technical interventions through the Inter African Phytosanitary Council ( of the African Union, which, acting as a Regional Plant Protection Organization, assisted National Plant Protection Organizations ( in confronting FAW related issues and providing the African Union Commission with up to date information regarding FAW outbreaks.

Language English

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    The human food chain is under continued threat, owing to an alarming increase in the number of outbreaks of transboundary plant pests and diseases Globalization, trade and climate change, as well as reduced resilience in production systems, as a result of decades of unsustainable agricultural intensification, have all played a role Over the years, 20 to 60 percent of harvest loss of various food crops in West Africa has been attributed to the prevalence of plant pest and diseases in the ECOWAS region The presence of plant pathogens has significantly contributed to food insecurity, leading to health challenges such as stunting in children, and less competitiveness in regional and international trade.
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    Community-based fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) monitoring, early warning and management
    Training of trainers manual
    2019
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    Fall Armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda) was first reported in Africa in 2016. Since then, it has become a very destructive invasive pest in sub-Saharan Africa. Its main impact is on maize crops and affects different stages of growth, from early vegetative to physiological maturity. In several countries affected by FAW attack, farmer responses have been predominantly based on the use of chemical pesticides. It is important to ensure the safe use of such pesticides by farmers, but also to promote and deploy an integrated pest management (IPM) package against FAW. Farmers need the right advice, tools and resources to sustainably manage FAW. This manual provides farmers and extension service providers easy-to-use information on how they can manage FAW in smallholder cropping systems. It provides information about modules for training trainers in FAW pest diagnostics, scouting, management and data collection. The objective of this training is to provide trainers and farmers with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to identify FAW and differentiate it from other similar pests; understand the life cycle of FAW; and, know how to monitor and manage the pest. This manual gives trainers the information they need in order to support and sustain an IPM approach for FAW management in their communities. The manual is modular and allows for updates in the future as more knowledge and solutions to manage FAW become available.
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