India: CropLife India's solution for Fall Armyworm through integrated pest management

By Dr. Sangeeta Soi

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In order to  protect farmers livelihoods and ensure food security globally especially in the high-risk regions of Asia, the CropLife International and CropLife Asia outlines the holistic approach to ensure effective management of Fall Armyworm (FAW) through integrated pest management (IPM); clear, evidence-based advice to farmers; a regulatory environment that gives access to technology; stakeholder coordination and emergency phytosanitary measures. 

1. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach

CropLife International and CropLife Asia support an IPM approach to dealing with FAW. The components of IPM should be based on evidence of their effectiveness and awareness of their risks. Such a position has been clearly outlined by the World Trade Organisation Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures as submitted by Brazil, Kenya, Madagascar, Paraguay, the United States of America and Uruguay. A sound IPM strategy should include effective scouting and monitoring for the pest and preventative measures to stop any infestation. Where an economic threshold is reached, farmers must be given access to effective tools to prevent the destruction of their crop, as outlined in the US Agency for International Development (USAID) guide for IPM in Africa. 

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2. Clear, evidence-based advice to farmers 

Given that the FAW is an invasive species, there are few validated control methods available – farmers therefore require technologies that are evidence-based and cost-effective for adoption. Farmers and those who advise them (like extension officers & agricultural product retailers) also need clear & consistent advice. Importantly, farmers must be made aware of the danger of the pest, taught to recognize it, and informed of its ecology and lifecycle, including when it is most vulnerable to pest management options. Farmers need to be given information about pest management approaches, their efficacy, the extent to which they have been validated, and how insecticides should be applied so as to maximise their efficacy and mitigate human health and environmental risks.

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3. Access to the technology 

It is imperative that farmers have the opportunity to access a wide range of technologies to manage the problems caused by FAW. Science-based regulations are necessary to ensure continued access to a range of modern crop protection products and to improve access to biotech products.  

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