Fall army worm is here to stay unless a miracle happens

Dr. Victor Toroitich at the Tunis meeting. [Photo: Gardy Chacha/Standard]

Speaking at a meeting on disaster risk management in Tunis, Monday Ahonsi, the fall army worm portfolio manager at International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), said it was important that stakeholders in agriculture address early enough the strategies by which every country will counter the spread of the pest.

“This pest was first discovered in South America. It is there even today. It was first detected in Africa – in West Africa – in 2016. It has spread throughout sub-Sahararan Africa,” Mr Ahonsi explained.