Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (August 2019)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW was reported in maize fields in several countries in eastern and southern Africa and a similar situation may have occurred in Asia and elsewhere during August
African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): No AAW outbreak was reported during this month.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
Low level FAW infestations were reported in irrigated maize in Zimbabwe and Malawi and control operations were undertaken by the affected farmers with technical and material support from MinAgri. The pest was also reported on maize crops in Dire Adwa as well as in Amhara, Binesahngul, Tigray and Oromo admin regions in Ethiopia. Traditional and chemical control operations were employed. Moderate outbreaks were reported in late planted maize in Central, Eastern and Coastal Regions of Kenya where control operations were carried out by the affected farmers with assistance from MinAgri. No updates were received in other regions at the time this Bulletin was compiled, however, it is likely that the pest has been a problem to maize and other cereal crops in different regions where it had been present (IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/PSPM).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW was not reported in the southern and eastern outbreak regions or elsewhere during this month (DLCO-EA, IRLCO-CSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW will likely continue affecting rain-fed and/or irrigated maize and other crops in several countries across sub-Saharan Africa, southwest and southeast Asia, etc., during the forecast period (OFDA/PSPM).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW activities are not expected in southern Africa until perhaps late November/early December (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
