Acción mundial de lucha contra el gusano cogollero del maíz

Training and bio-pesticides support farmers in Yemen with fall armyworm control

26 January 2021

Yemen is one of the 53 pilot countries participating in the Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control. The country relies heavily on farming: 70 percent of Yemeni live in rural areas, depending on agriculture to survive. A crippling war has meant agriculture is even more vulnerable, so the arrival of fall armyworm (FAW) in June 2018 further aggravated  farmers’ situations. 

Limited knowledge concerning FAW pest management and the lack of available agricultural inputs made matters worse. In response, FAO has been working with Yemen’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAI) to begin regular training workshops for over 125 agro-engineers from governorates throughout the country. These trainings have focused on how to identify FAW, and how to use monitoring mechanisms and controls via such technologies as smart phones and pheromone traps. 

Furthermore, extensionists and farmers have learnt how to use cultural, physical, mechanical, and biological control to decrease FAW numbers. Applying simple and available integrated pest management (IPM) principles can reduce the need for pesticides, hence protecting human and environmental health. Farmer Field Schools (FFS) have also been established. In regular meetings,  farmers explore together how to scout and monitor their fields – not only for FAW, but also for natural enemies of the pest, and how to conserve and augment these. Participants discover that FAW numbers can be kept low without using pesticides.   

Trainings proved to be especially important, says Mohammed Assaj, Director of the integrated pest management (IPM) unit at the Government’s General Directorate of Plant Protection. "FAO's intervention that relies on adopting integrated pest management combined with an  agroecological farming approach for managing FAW was substantial and made positive impacts in the field,” says Mohammed. This included a shift towards more biological forms of pest control, such as rearing beneficial insects.

“Our control strategy focuses on how to preserve our Yemeni agricultural environment and livelihoods from the harm that can be caused by both plant pests and the pesticides that the farmers have used randomly without prior consultation with concerned authorities,” he says.

Mohammed recalls when FAW was first found in Yemen in 2018. In response to a request from national authorities, FAO sent a technical team to affected areas to conduct an initial survey, including collecting samples of FAW. Mohammed was a member of the investigation team.

“When I reached suspect areas, farmers were not aware of what type of insects were attacking their crops and from direct inspection, I recognized the FAW morphologically, based on FAW fact sheets published by FAO,” he says. 

FAO worked with authorities to strengthen the capacity of staff in Yemen’s MAI through regular training workshops. FAO also provided MAI with FAW monitoring and management equipment, including Neem-based bio-pesticides.  

Although financial resources are limited, results obtained are promising and more of Yemen’s farmers are hoping for continued investment in FAW monitoring and management.

"Working in Biological Pest Control touches the lives of famers by protecting their crops, and its impact can affect the country’s economy as well,” says Mohammed. “That’s why I love my work so much.”