What is fall armyworm and how can its natural enemies help control it effectively?
Fall armyworm is an invasive pest from the Americas that arrived in Africa in 2016. Since its arrival, regional governments have spent huge sums of money on pesticide donations, including many highly toxic chemicals, as an emergency measure.
Over 15 parasitoid species and many predators — including spiders, beetles, ants and social wasps — attack fall armyworm in Africa. These natural enemies are abundant in most smallholders’ fields and data indicate that they provide effective control of fall armyworm in most situations.
What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for armyworm?
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach that prioritizes preventative measures and minimizes the use of chemical pesticides as a last resort. It involves agro-ecological approaches to enhance natural enemies’ diversity and efficacy, as well as measures to promote plant health through integrated soil fertility management and biological control.
The infographics are designed to be printed as foldable cards that farmers can carry in their pocket for easy reference. The graphics provide an overview of fall armyworm natural enemies as well as action pathways to IPM.
The graphics were developed with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
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