About the Fall Armyworm Project (FAW)
The project is working with 180 small-scale farmers, across 12 landscapes in Zambia and Malawi, to conduct on- farm trials. The farmers are supplied with inputs such as maize, soybean, cowpea, groundnut and common bean seeds, and provided with technical support. Researchers collect data on infestation rates, damage and yields to assess the efficacy of each approach and the financial cost / benefit. During the research, farmers will gain knowledge on Fall Armyworm and its natural enemies. The knowledge generated will be incorporated into national pest control strategies across ten Southern African countries, including Zambia and Malawi.
Agro-ecological approaches to pest management are based on three strategies:
- Soil fertility management to support healthy plants, including practices such as crop rotation, minimum tillage, mulching and composting.
- Enhancing biodiversity in the fields and in the landscape through intercropping, diversifying crop types, agroforestry and protecting forests and other natural habitats
- Identifying specific interventions that encourage natural enemies, for example, providing nest sites for predatory insects or providing bat roosts.
