Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (April 2019)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW invasions continued in Africa and Asia during April. The pest was reported in Eastern Africa and in several provinces in China where it was reported causing damage to maize and other crops
African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): No AAW outbreak was reported during April.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW was reported in several countries during this month. In Ethiopia, FAW infestations continued in irrigated maize and sorghum crops in Oromya, Gambella, Amhara and SNNP administrative regions and 14,000 ha were reported infested during April. The pest was detected in nearly some 662 villages in 100 districts in 4 admin regions. Control operations treated more than 9,400 ha using pesticides and cultural means.
CBFAMFEW forecasters and community focal persons in Ethiopia reported moth catches in excess of 12,710 from 32 pheromone traps in 16 CBFAMFEW districts in during April. Moth catches enhanced alert and dissemination of FAW info to farmers and community leaders, field agents, and others through forecasters and lead farmers and intensified crop scouting and monitoring. OFDA/PSPM is proud to share this important information – the fruit of the CBFAMFEW project.
FAW was reported attacking maize and sorghum in Kenya and Tanzania during April. Control operations were launched by the affected farmers with technical and material assistance from the MinAgri. The pest was also reported attacking maize crops in several provinces in China during this month. It is likely that the pest has been causing damage to seasonal and irrigated maize and other crops several regions in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and elsewhere during April. In CBFAMFEW countries, sensitization of farmers on monitoring, surveillance and control is intensified (IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/PSPM, Reuters).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreak has not been reported in the southern or eastern outbreak regions in Africa and no reports were received from elsewhere during April (DLCO-EA, IRLCO-CSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW will likely continue affecting in-season and irrigated maize and other crops in several countries in sub-Saharan African and across Southeast Asia during the forecast period.
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW activities may commence in the secondary breeding regions in its central and northern outbreak regions in Kenya and northern Tanzania 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
