About the Fall Armyworm Tech Program
Fall armyworm, a damaging moth-like insect, attacks over 80 different plant species. Agriculture experts estimate this pest could cause between $2.4 and $6.2 billion in losses for maize, a staple crop in Africa. Crops like sorghum, rice and sugarcane are also at risk, making the fall armyworm a threat to the livelihoods of farmers as well as food security across Africa.
In collaboration with Feed the Future, the US government’s global hunger and food security initiative and Land O’Lakes Venture37, we support digital solutions that aim to help stop the spread of fall armyworm in Africa by giving smallholder farmers interactive tools and information to fight the pest.
The Fall Armyworm Tech Program is specifically developing technologies that:
- Enable smallholder farmers and those who support them, to accurately identify the incidence of fall armyworm in their crops;
- Produce timely, context-appropriate and empowering insights for smallholder farmers to treat the incidence of fall armyworm;
- Reduce productivity losses caused by fall armyworm among those using the tool or approach; and
- Ensure the appropriate and responsible use of pest management assessments, tools and interventions.
In November of 2018, we awarded five Fall Armyworm Tech Prizes during the AfriCom Conference in South Africa. Awardees have developed apps with the potential to scale solutions to other countries.
