Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (April 2020)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW was reported in Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe during April. It is likely that the pest was present elsewhere in maize and other cereal growing areas during this month.
African Armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW): AAW outbreaks were not reported during this month.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW was reported affecting late planted maize in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe during April. The pest was also reported affecting early planted maize in Kenya. Control operations are carried out by the affected farmers with technical and material support from respective MinAgries (IRLCO-CSA). It is likely that FAW has been affecting crops in other newly invaded areas.
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreaks were not reported during this month (IRLCO-CSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW will likely continue affecting rain-fed and 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 preventive interventions remain critical to abate significant crop damage (OFDA).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW activities will likely remain calm in the primary outbreak areas during the forecast period (IRLCOCSA, OFDA/PSPM).
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
