EU commits Sh805m to fight fall armyworm

Solomon Anyiga inspecting his maize at Kamungeny village in Rongai Sub County on May 15, 2017. His farm has been infested by fall Armyworm. [File, Standard]

The European Union (EU) has committed seven million euro (Sh805 million)  to help combat the fall armyworm across East Africa.

The funding, the EU said, will go towards strengthening efforts of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe) in the management of the pest in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

The stubborn pest has wreaked havoc in at least 43 African countries since January 2016.

Icipe says this has affected the production of maize and other crops thus placing food and nutrition security of more than 300 million people at risk.

This also means dwindling trade, household incomes and overall economies.

Scientists say the larval stage of the fall armyworm feeds on more than 80 plant species including maize, sorghum, rice, wheat and sugarcane.

It also feeds on a variety of horticultural crops.

Director of Research and Partnership at Icipe Sunday Ekesi said efforts to control the pest through conventional methods such as the use of insecticides was difficult because the insect’s adult stage was most active at night and the infestation is only detected after the damage has been caused to the crop.

“The pest also has a diverse range of alternative host plants that enables its populations to persist and spread,” said Dr Ekesi.

“Moreover, the fall armyworm has been shown to develop resistance to some insecticides, while the performance of such chemicals is also hindered by limited knowledge and purchasing power of farmers, resulting into the use of low quality, and often harmful products.”

Technology

Icipe has been working to tackle the pest including the introduction of push-pull technology that has been found effective in controlling the fall armyworm.

The innovation involves inter-cropping cereal crops with insect repellent legumes in the Desmodium genus and planting an attractive forage plant such as Napier or Brachiaria grasses as a border around the intercrop.

Icipe Director General Segenet Kelemu said the institute and EU had over the past 10 years enjoyed a “productive and strategic partnership” on various critical issues relevant to Africa such as bees, animal health and food and nutritional security.

“We are delighted for this latest support, which will enable us to build on our early results to create a comprehensive package on fall armyworm management, and to work with a range of partners to ensure that the solutions are delivered to communities to avert the very real threat posed by the pest,” she added.

Myra Bernardi, Head of Section Agriculture of the European Union to Kenya said the new initiative will enhance livelihoods, resilience and food and nutritional security of smallholder maize growers in eastern Africa.