The fall armyworm risk model and map (FAWRisk) in Africa: Raising awareness and developing capacity on monitoring systems through south-south cooperation
Wednesday 4 July - 14:30-16:00 CEST (UTC/GMT+2, Rome time)
Speakers
- Peter Anaadumba, South-South Cooperation Officer in the Regional Office for Africa, FAO
- Neil Marsland, Senior Technical Officer, FAO
- More speakers to be announced soon
Click here to register to the webinar.
The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, an insect originating from the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the Americas has grown in prominence on the African continent since it was initially reported in West Africa in 2016.
The presence of the FAW in Africa, the speed of its spread and the severity of the damage experienced in both upland and irrigated maize has led to the pest being perceived as a threat to cereal-based food security and related livelihoods. This situation is particularly worse under low input smallholder production where the pest invasion has often been coupled with inadequate knowledge about the insect, what constitutes pest damage, how to reduce infestations and crop damage, and how to adjust the agro-ecosystem and ensure sustainable management.
The modality of introduction of this notorious pest on the African continent is not yet understood but considering the high levels of its population, rapid spread and severe damage which have been frequently reported, it is likely to have invaded free of natural enemies that regulate it in the native range.
Against this backdrop, this webinar focuses on providing an overview of the monitoring systems for FAW as well as presenting FAO's FAW Risk Model and Map (FAWRisk) and other FAO technical support to countries that are currently dealing with mitigating impacts of the fast-spreading pest.