Latest Armyworm Forecast (August 2021)

Synopsis

Fall Armyworm(FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda): FAW outbreaks were reported affecting irrigated maize in Malawi. No reports were received from other IRLCO-CSA member states, but the pest may be present in other several maize growing countries.

African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): No AAW outbreaks were reported this month.

Current situation

Fall armyworm (FAW)

FAW outbreaks were reported infesting 37,000 ha of irrigating maize in shores of Lake Malawi and Shire Valley in Malawi where control operations were carried out by the affected farmers with technical and material assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture. No FAW outbreaks were reported in other IRLCO-CSA member states, namely, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia or Zimbabwe and Kenya, but low populations of the pest may have persisted in irrigated cereal crops (IRLCO-CSA). FAW presence in other countries in Africa, Asia and/or elsewhere where maize crops are in season or are under irrigation is likely (BHA/TPQ, IRLCO-CSA.

African Armyworm (AAW)

AAW was not reported in its primary outbreak areas or invasion areas during this month.

Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)

Fall armyworm (FAW)

FAW is likely to continue affecting rain-fed and/or irrigated maize and other cereal crops across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Pacific Regions and elsewhere during the forecast period. Active monitoring, surveillance, reporting, and timely interventions remain critical to abate any major crop damage (BHA/TPQ).

African Armyworm (AAW)

Significant AAW presence is not predicted during the forecast period.

Acknowledgements

This forecast is published by Lancaster University’s Armyworm Network: http://www.armyworm.org/. It is an extract from the Emergency Transboundary Outbreak Pest (ETOP) situation report compiled by USAID/OFDA/PSPM. They monitor ETOPs regularly in close collaboration with their network of national PPDs/DPVs, regional and international pest monitoring and/or control entities, including FAO, CLCPRO, CRC, DLCO-EA, and IRLCO-CSA, as well as Agency partners, and NGOs and provides timely analytical bulletins and reports to stakeholders across the globe. For dated, archived ETOP SITREPs, please, go to: https://www.usaid.gov/what-wedo/working-crises-andconflict/responding-times-crisis/how-wedo-it/humanitarian-sectors/agricultureand-food-security/pest-and-pesticidemonitoring/archive