In Africa, roughly 18 million tons of maize, which has the potential to feed tens of millions of people, is affected by fall armyworm annually. The economic losses as a result of the pest are estimated at up to $4.6 billion per year.
Controlling the pest is essential, but so far, most solutions have relied on chemicals that are harmful to both humans and the environment. The search is now on for nontoxic options that have the potential to be adopted more widely and that can offer a more sustainable solution.
“The reality is the fall armyworm is never ever going to go away,” said Shachi Gurumayum, Africa lead at AgBiTech, a company specializing in sustainable pest control. “The better we learn to manage it, as quickly as possible, the better it will be for our farmers.” Read more…
