Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (December 2019)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW was reported affecting maize crop in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi and Zimbabwe. It is highly likely that the pest was also present in other maize producing countries where it had already been detected.
African Armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW): AAW outbreaks were reported in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi during December and control was undertaken by affected farmers with technical and material support from Ministries of Agriculture.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW was reported affecting maize crop in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi and Zimbabwe during December. It is highly likely that the pest was also present in other maize growing countries in Africa, Asia and elsewhere where it had already been detected (IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/PSPM, PPD/Ethiopia, DLCO-EA/Tanzania).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreaks were reported in Mbire District, Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe where an estimate 570 ha of maize and sorghum were reported damaged. AAW outbreaks were also reported in Karonga, Mzuzu, Salima, Lilongwe, Kasungu and Machinga Districts in Malawi where some 34,551 ha of crop and grass were reported affected and of which 19,174 ha was crop land. In Zambia armyworm outbreaks were reported in Mazabuka and Itezhi Tezhi, Namwala Districts, where some 205 ha of crop were reported attacked. Affected farmers launched control interventions with material and technical assistance from MinAgri (IRLCO-CSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW will likely continue affecting rain-fed and irrigated maize and other 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 the damage (OFDA/PSPM).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW activities will likely continue in the southern outbreak areas during the forecast period (IRLCO-CSA, 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
