Eastern Africa Fall Armyworm Management Strategy and Implementation Plan

The invasive fall armyworm (FAW), or Spodoptera frugiperda, is a pest ravaging crops in over 44 African countries. It is native to the Americas, but recently spread to Africa, with its occurrence first reported in West and Central Africa in early 2016. It spread to southern Africa in late 2016, and by early 2017 was confirmed in East Africa (FAO, 2017). FAW attacks more than 80 different plant species including maize, a major food staple in sub-Saharan Africa, upon which more than 300 million people depend. If FAW is not effectively controlled, it is expected to cause a US$3bn loss to maize in Africa along with serious food shortages in the next year (IAPPS, 2017).