FAO Regional Office for Africa

FAO leading efforts in Africa on combating the Fall Armyworm infestation

The FAO Regional Office for Africa to host a global FAW experts’ meetings in July 2017

FAO Conference/40th session-Side Event: Fall Armyworm (4 July 2017, Sheikh Zayed Centre) - Photo: ©FAO/Pier Paolo Cito

6 July 2017, Accra – At a Side Event of the 40th FAO Conference on the Fall Armyworm (FAW) held in Rome, the FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Bukar Tijani, announced that the Organization will host a global technical meeting of FAW experts from 18 to 20 July 2017 in Accra, Ghana, as part of the ongoing efforts led by FAO to curb the outbreak of FAW pests afflicting the agricultural sectors of a vast number of countries across the African continent.

FAW experts from various countries in Africa as well as from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States of America together with those from a number of international and regional partner institutions (such as CABI, CIMMYT, AGRA etc.), have been invited to deliberate upon the appropriate FAW management practices and sustainable measures to be applied in Africa in dealing with this outbreak. The FAW experts’ meeting will be followed by a workshop designed to develop a curriculum on Fall Armyworm management for Farmer Field Schools (FFS).   

“FAO has co-hosted two meetings on FAW in Africa, one in Harare and one in Nairobi, to review the status and propose plans to manage the FAW. These meetings have been important to bring together key actors across Africa to discuss FAW situation and prioritize future actions”, explained Bukar Tijani.

“Recommendations will be used for the finalization of FAO’s FAW Framework Management Programme in Africa. In addition, the information and background provided will be used to design activities for Farmer Field Schools, including Integrated Pest Management, where FAO expertise is proven and recognized”, he added.

The Rome FAW Side Event was sponsored by South Africa, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. It provided a forum for Agriculture Ministers gathered at the FAO Conference to deliberate on the extent of the impact of the pest infestation across the African continent and on the potential detrimental ramifications of this outbreak on the economy and food security of the afflicted Member Nations as well as livelihoods of rural communities.

Chaired by Her Excellency Terri Sarch, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to FAO, the event focused on the manner in which efforts could be prioritized to secure effective support for those countries concerned. The participating Ministers took note of the lessons learned from South-South and Triangular Cooperation in responding to the FAW infestation and of the specific threats and challenges faced by African farmers. The event also provided an opportunity for the international community to assess the gravity of the situation and the nature of support required to reinforce the ongoing efforts.

For its part, FAO reaffirmed its commitment to lend the requisite technical support, in collaboration with partner institutions, to the countries concerned with the aim of securing a concerted and comprehensive intervention in dealing with this outbreak.

 

Useful links:

Food Chain Crisis (FAO)

Multi-pronged approach – key for effectively defeating fall armyworm in Africa (Nairobi)

FAO teams up with AUC to spearhead Africa’s Response against Fall Armyworm

Bukar Tijani’s intervention (audio)

FAO Album/Flickr