Are Fall Armyworms Here To Stay?

FALL ARMYWORMS (FAWs), the chronic pests that cause severe damage to forage crops, will not leave the country as they have come to stay just like the African moths, Head of Crop Pest & Disease Management of the Plant Protection & Regulatory Services Directorate of the Food and Agriculture Ministry, Ebenezer Aboagye, has revealed.

Mr Aboagye stated that moths, which get in flight after reaching adulthood within 30 days, enjoy better climate in Ghana than their originating country, United State of America.

“They are nocturnal worms that feed on more than 80 plant species with maize as their main host in Ghana. They lay eggs in masses ranging from 100 to 200. Total eggs per female range from 1,500 to 2, 000,” he disclosed.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop for selected journalists drawn from Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Eastern Regions, the scientist indicated that moth is very destructive at the larvae stage, attacking forage crops such as cabbage, sorghum, cotton, groundnut, millet, cowpea, ginger and onion.

The rest are aubergine, soybean, rice, pepper, amaranthus, watermelon, sweet potato, beans and cucumber which are good hosts for the dangerous pests.

“We’ve actually created a ring of traps for these moths in various farms to detect the presence of the moths and see if they are flying beyond where we would expect them to be,” he added.

Mr Aboagye stated that FAWs have become difficult to control since the moth has high migratory potential and can fly up to 100 kilometres per night, aside it being tropical pest and having arrived in the country without its natural destructive agents.

According to him, 28 countries have officially reported that the pest is in their territory, and added that nine others had conducted surveys and strongly suspected the presence of the pest.

Work Plan – 2018
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture in-charge of annual crops, Dr Sagri Bambangi, explained that the pest was reported in 2016 with maize as a preferred host.

He disclosed that in 2017, government in response to the outbreak of FAW, approved and released an emergency fund of GH¢15.8 million for its management.

Subsequently, a 16-member taskforce was constituted to coordinate activities and lead on the intervention front, which included awareness creation, insecticide distribution, capacity building and sensitisation on detection and management.

“We are implementing our strategy for the 2018 planting season, which includes, among others, deepening awareness and sensitisation campaigns, strengthening our national pests' surveillance system to provide early warning and emergency response,” he explained.

Dr Bambangi hinted that the ministry was also conducting research into biological control as medium to long-term management of the pest whilst it seeks to establish a strategic stock of pesticides in the regions to manage the FAWs with environmental-friendly products.