Integrated Management of the Fall Armyworm on Maize: A Guide for Farmer Field Schools in Africa

Fall armyworm (FAW) - or Spodoptera frugiperda - is a dangerous transboundary pest native to the Americas that has been spreading rapidly in Africa since 2016, causing significant yield losses to crops. Farmer education and community action are critical elements in the strategy to manage FAW populations through an integrated and ecological pest management approach. Farmer Field Schools (FFS), a holistic farmer education approach used in over 90 countries, will be a key component of the response effort. This publication provides guidance on how to use FFS in this context, with an emphasis on maize as FAW's preferred host plant. It provides information on the biology and ecology of FAW, field studies and exercises for use in season-long FFS, as well as suggestions on how to put together training programmes for rural advisory services/extension and refresher courses for trainers and facilitators.