Latest Armyworm Forecast from ETOP (May 2019)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (FAW): FAW infestations were reported in irrigated maize in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe and rain-fed crops in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia during May. A similar situation is likely in other countries in the region and elsewhere
African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): No AAW outbreak was reported during May.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW outbreaks were reported in Kisumu,Uasin, Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Narok, Busia, West Pokot, Elegeyo marakwet Counties in Kenya. In Tanzania outbreaks were reported in Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Manyara Regions. The pest was also detected in Morogoro Region during May. FAW presence was confirmed in Soroti and Bale Districts in Uganda during May.
In Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, FAW infestations were reported in irrigated maize and control operations were launched by the affected farmers with technical and materials assistance from MinAgries (IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/PSPM).
In Ethiopia, FAW infestations were reported on 17,936 ha of 394,383 ha of maize and sorghum in 764 villages in SNNPR and Oromo regions, mainly in SNNPR during the 3rd week of May (PPD/Ethiopia).
FAW was reported attacking maize crops in China. It is likely that FAW continued appearing in seasonal and irrigated maize and other crops in subSaharan Africa and Asia during May.
In CBFAMFEW project countries, sensitization and alerting farmers on routine scouting, monitoring, surveillance and control is intensified (IRLCO-CSA, OFDA/PSPM).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreak was not reported in the southern and eastern outbreak regions in Africa during May (DLCO-EA, IRLCOCSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW will likely continue affecting rain-fed and irrigated maize and other crops in several countries in subSaharan African and across Southeast Asia during the forecast period.
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW may appear in its secondary breeding areas in the central and northern outbreak regions in Kenya and northern Tanzania during the forecast period.
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
