Piloting biopesticide use to manage fall armyworm in South Sudan
Crop protection in Africa relies heavily on the use of synthetic chemical pesticides. They are perceived to be more effective than other methods but human health concerns and the resistance to them in pest populations is shifting the tide towards lower risk pest management methodologies. Biopesticides are considered a suitable…
CABI confirms presence of devastating date pest the red palm weevil on Socotra Island, Yemen
CABI scientist Dr Arne Witt has led an international team of researchers who have confirmed for the first time the presence of the date pest red palm weevil on Socotra Island, Yemen, putting the livelihoods of residents at risk. The red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has already…
Sustainable management of fall armyworm in Botswana
During 2017-18, the invasion of the Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Botswana posed a serious threat to food and nutrition security for vulnerable farming communities and households. Surveillance of pests, known as pest monitoring, will help mitigate the negative impacts of FAW in the country and will also promote the wider…
Green Muscle providing strength against devastating locusts in the horn of Africa
2020's climate has contributed to the Locust explosion CABI and international biological control producers Éléphant Vert are stepping up the fight against crop-destroying locusts and grasshoppers with a safe and environment friendly product called Green Muscle™ which is now being used in Africa. Around 20 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya,…
Study explores reasons why smallholder farmers in Kenya do not use more biopesticides
CABI scientists have conducted new research which provides new insight into the reasons why smallholder farmers in Kenya do not adopt safer-to-use biopesticides to protect their crops from devastating pests and diseases such as Fall armyworm on maize and whitefly on coffee. Kate Constantine led a team of researchers who…
CABI contributes to special issue on weed biological control with arthropods in ‘Current Opinion in Insect Science’
CABI scientists have joined an international team of researchers as part of a Special Issue of the journal Current Opinion in Insect Science which focuses on the present status and potential future directions of weed biological control using arthropods. Dr Urs Schaffner from CABI’s centre in Switzerland and Prof. Heinz…