Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (March 2020)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW was reported in cereal crops in several countries in southcentral Africa during March. Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Malawi were most affected. Control operations were undertaken by affected farmers with technical and material support from Ministries of Agriculture.
African Armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) (AAW): AAW outbreaks were reported in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi where control was undertaken by affected farmers with technical and material support from Ministries of Agriculture.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
Light to dense infestations of FAW were reported causing damage to maize in Msvingo, Mashonaland East, West and Central Provinces of Zimbabwe, Northern, Central and Southern Regions in Malawi and Mozambique. In Tanzania FAW outbreaks were reported in Morogoro and Iringa regions. Control operations were carried out by affected farmers with material and technical support from MinAgrsi. In Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia, limited infestations are expected on late planted maize and other cereal crops. The pest is also expected to have continued affecting maize and other crops that are at vulnerable stages in several regions. During February, FAW was reported on mainland Australia and in Timor Leste attacking maize plants in February. To date, the pest has reached most of Southeast Asia and Pacific regions (IRLCO-CSA).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreaks were reported in Chisumbanje, Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe; Sofala Province in Mozambique and Lilongwe, Nsanje and Chikwawa Districts in Malawi during March. Affected farmers were provided with material and technical support by respective MinAgris to control the pest (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 significant crop damage (OFDA).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW activities will likely continue in the southern outbreak region and likely appear in the eastern outbreak zone 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
