Fall armyworm

Rural farming communities in Zambia will benefit from new ACIAR-supported research helping to manage a devastating pest wiping out crops and impacting food security.

Climate change is increasing the risk of plant-destroying insects, diseases and invasive weeds entering Aotearoa New Zealand. Border security is not enough to protect us from the next biosecurity threat – it’s time to be proactive in preventing the risks.

A new study led CABI scientists has examined the potential for collective action to fight the fall armyworm (FAW) pest with biological controls in rural Zambia.

The impact of the fall armyworm pest on maize crops and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa were worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new CABI-led research published as a Current Opinion article in the journal Environmental Sustainability.

Most smallholder farmers surveyed in Uganda believe they can reduce damage caused by the fall armyworm with several management and control options available to help them mitigate the impacts of the potentially devastating crop pest.

The University of Queensland is working with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) to develop guidelines to help Australian grain growers decide when and how to treat fall armyworm (FAW) to save their crops and finances.

AgForce is encouraging growers dealing with fall armyworm to access the latest online resources using the new FAW ehub.

Adopting a novel planting technique known as “push-pull farming” can help massively reduce crop losses to pests and improve food security in sub-Saharan Africa, new research has found.

A CABI-led study has developed the first forecasting models targeting the larval stages of fall armyworm– using near real-time earth observation data and pest occurrence within a farmer's field, the models will assist in the fight against the pest.

Maize remains a crucial part of the food security equation in Southern Africa and other sub-regions on the continent for both human and animal consumption. Close to 90 percent of approximately 347 million people in Southern Africa are dependent on maize