Dr. Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M AgriLife agronomist, says heavy infestations of fall armyworms have been reported in some areas of the Texas Panhandle.

8/5/21 - Fall armyworm threatens Panhandle crops

A new corn trait will be available in 2024 to help producers in their battle against pests in their crops. Bayer's new VT4PRO technology will benefit farmers who face above and/or below ground corn insect pressures.

8/9/23 - New corn trait to fight pests available in 2024

In this episode, I share my thoughts on the Rwanda and Kenya elections - the Rwandan people just reelected Paul Kagame to another 7 year term; In Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta (current president) and Raila Odinga (opposition leader) are battling for the presidency and the stakes are high in this year's general election. I also touch on the impact of the Fall Armyworm on Sub-Saharan Africa's agriculture sector.

Episode 9

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has published a comprehensive guide on managing the Fall Armyworm (FAW), a crop-eating pest which originated in Central and South America.

Murielle Sarr asked Allan Hruska, Principal Technical Coordinator of FAO’s Plant Protection Division, what the new guide will achieve.

Audio Credit:  Murielle Saar

Photo:  FAW on damaged maize in Malawi where, in December 2017, the Government declared 20 of the country’s 28 districts disaster areas following an invasion by FAW.  FAO/Rachel Nandalenga

Don’t 'panic' over Fall Armyworm pest, FAO urges African farmers

April 2018 - We are now heading to Cape Verde, off the western coast of the African continent. Over 500 000 people live in the 9 islands of the archipelago. 

Over 20% of the active population is engaged in the agriculture sector and this figure can go up to more than 80% in rural areas. The country is facing a Fall Armyworm (FAW) infestation, a formidable pest that can spread quickly and that can destroy entire crops across the country’s islands.

The insect is now threatening local food security and the economy – it has quickly become a source of serious concern for the authorities.

The Cape Verde’s authorities teamed up with FAO to manage the pest without damaging farmers’ crops, which are essential to their survival. 
Greg Delaney reports.

Produced by Anais Hotin
Sound by Eric Deleu

Managing Fall Armyworm in Cape Verde - Protecting environment and livelihoods

Africa’s Cabo Verde islands are facing a “formidable” agricultural and economic challenge in the form of an invasive pest known as the Fall Armyworm.

But now, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has joined forces with authorities there to combat the threat, without damaging the environment or farmers’ livelihoods – especially in vulnerable rural areas.

Greg Delaney has this special report from Cabo Verde.

Photo Credit:  Armyworm eating on maize cob in Lesotho. (file)  FAOLesotho/Lechoko Noko

Invasive Fall Armyworm pest threatens food production across Cabo Verde

An invasive pest, the Fall Armyworm, risks ruining up to 40 per cent of farmers’ yields in Asia, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Tuesday.

Many growers still rely on maize and rice to feed their families, FAO has warned, meaning that the food security of millions is potentially at stake.

The good news is that there are new tools that use machine learning to help farmers combat the caterpillars in a sustainable way, as FAO’s Allan Hruska told UN News’s Jens Renner.

Audio Credit:  Jens Renner, UN News - Geneva
Photo Credit:  Fall armyworm infestation in grasslands in Lesotho.  FAOLesotho/Lechoko Noko

Combating invasive Armyworm with education for farmers and machine learning

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