Zambia’s capital Lusaka will host as of tomorrow July 26 a 2-day meeting initiated by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and its partners on controlling fall armyworm (FAW) in southern Africa.

In fact, southern Africa is one of the most affected by the crop destroyer, with 13 countries (Lesotho and Mauritius excluded) according to the latest synthesis report on the state of food, security, nutrition and vulnerability of the region, published earlier this month.  Most alarming, the worm prefers maize which provides more than 80% of region grain output.

The meeting themed “From Plan to Action”, will bring together government and private sector representatives, farmers, policy makers as well as experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and Sygenta Foundation.

Participants will discuss ways to deploy, in the shortest possible time, the most effective technology for the purpose to 10 million farmers with focus being on the Syngenta Foundation’s seed treatment pesticide known as Fortenza Dou. Let’s note that agriculture sustains nearly 70% of the population in Southern Africa.

Espoir Olodo