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 as an emergency measure, including many highly toxic chemicals. Unfortunately, the chemicals provided are often not effective and pose a significant risk to human health. 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 smallholder fields and data indicate that they can provide effective control of fall armyworm in many situations. Application of highly toxic pesticides risks damaging this natural pest control service. Hence, we recommend the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies based on agroecological approaches to prevent pest build up, regular monitoring of fields to identify potential outbreaks, and use of biological or safe chemical pesticides only when really necessary.
Publication year
2021
Authors
Harrison, R.D.; Chipabika, G.; Nyirenda, S.
Language
English
Keywords
pesticides, pest control, agroecology
