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Strengthening ECOWAS Coordination and Communication on Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Monitoring and Impact Assessment in West African Countries - TCP/RAF/3705

Year of publication 2022

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 8

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Synopsis (short abstract) 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.

Language English

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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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