Latest Armyworm Forecast (December 2021)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda): Low to moderate FAW infestations were reported affecting young maize in Malawi, Mashonaland Province of Zimbabwe, and Kisii County in Kenya. Control operations were carried out by the affected farmers with assistance from the Ministries of Agriculture. No reports were received elsewhere, but mild to high-level infestations are expected to have occurred across invaded regions.
African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): No outbreaks were reported this month, but some moth catches were recorded.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
Mild infestation of FAW were reported along lakeshore and Blantyre Agriculture development Division (ADD) in Malawi. The pest was reported attacking young maize. Mild infestation of FAW was also reported in Mbire district of Mashonaland Province in Zimbabwe. In Kenya FAW was reported in Kisii County where 8,000ha of nearly tasseling maize crop was affected. The affected farmers carried out control with technical and material support from Ministry of Agriculture. FAW infestations were also likely to have caused mild damage to young maize in Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique.
African Armyworm (AAW)
There were no reports of AAW outbreaks during this month. Only a few moth catches were recorded in Mashonaland Central (Mbire, Mushumbi and Mazowe) and West (Chegulu) Provinces of Zimbabwe.
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, and elsewhere during the forecast period.
African Armyworm (AAW)
Outbreaks are not expected.
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
