Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (February 2019)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW outbreaks were reported in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe during February and control operations were undertaken by the affected farmers with technical and material assistance from the Ministries of Agriculture.
African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): No AAW outbreak was reported during February.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW infestations were reported in February in irrigated areas in 76 villages in 8 Districts in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Administrative Region in Ethiopia and chemical and manual control treated more than 1,306 ha of maize and sorghum (DLCO-EA).
In Tanzania, FAW outbreaks were reported in Morogoro, Tanga and Rukwa Regions and control operations were launched by the affected farmers with technical and material support from MinAgri. FAW outbreaks were also reported in Malawi in Ncheu, Machinga, Mangochi, Blantyre and Nsanje where the pest was reported causing more than 20% damage to maize crops. Control operations were carried out by the affected farmers with material (35, 000 l of pesticides) and technical assistance from the MoAIWD. FAW was also reported in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe where control operations were carried out by the affected farmers with material and technical assistance from the national ministries (IRLCO-CSA,, PHS/Tanzania).
African Armyworm (AAW)
No AAW outbreak was reported during February DLCO-EA, (IRLCO-CSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW infestation will likely continue affecting irrigated and rainfed maize and other crops in several subSaharan African countries and in other regions during the forecast period.
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreak season will commence in the secondary breeding regions following the onset of the rains during the forecast period in Kenya and to a lesser extent northern Tanzania.
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
