FAO holds three-day training on integrated sustainable management of FAW using the FFS approach
Monrovia- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in improving information and knowledge sharing on effective and sustainable management of Fall Armyworm (FAW), through the organization of sessions of training of trainers in the 15 countries of the sub-region.
The Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a maize insect pest, which appears in Africa in early 2016 and detected for the first time in West Africa Region. Since that time, it is causing serious damages to maize crop, millet, sorghum, rice and vegetables that are major staple food for populations in the region, threatening the food security and households’ livelihood.
FAO and ECOWAS recognized that extension agents, researchers and farmers education are essential to manage the pest sustainably. In 2018, FAO released a guide on FAW integrated management for smallholder farmers and has organize several capacity-building workshops for National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) and extensions agents on FAW management practices tested, adapted and proven workable to West African context.
To date, the pest is still a major threat for maize and other crop. Therefore, farmers need substantial training to apply the integrated pest management (IPM) and Farmer’s field school (FFS) approach for its control.
FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture in September 2019 trained about 20 participants (farmers, extension and research staff) to share FAW experiences and to improve their capacity on proven integrated management of FAW practices in maize and other affected crop production, and on FFS approach.
Musa Ousman Musa, who served as lead facilitator during the three-day exercise outlined the importance of applying the FFS approach to combat the FAW. He noted that applying the FFS approach would address the issue of FAW infestation. “It is believe that FAW can cause significant damage in the first 40 days of infestation.”
The training will help farmers, extension and research staff to understand the concept and apply the participatory approach in managing the pest. He emphasized that farmers lack the basic understanding on the concept of the FFS approach. Therefore, it is importance to train the farmers on the basic concept and methodology on the FFS approach.
FAO’s Agronomist, Jobson Momo, said the capacity enhancement exercise intended to introduce the Farmers Field School into the Fall Armyworms management that farmers have been keeping surveillance on.
Momo added that the exercise will improve the capacity of farmers, extension and research staff on integrated management of FAW in maize production through the development of adapted programs, promotion and dissemination of the pest control and management guides for food and nutrition security in Liberia.