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A devastating caterpillar attacking major crops in Africa has now been confirmed in almost all West and Central African countries.

The armyworm destroys crops, including maize, a staple food enjoyed by millions of people in both regions. Between 20 and 30 percent of crop losses have already been reported in Africa as a result of the armyworm.

Legionnaires' caterpillar was confirmed in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo in January 2018.

It has yet to be confirmed in Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Mali.

"This critical situation requires immediate and urgent action, but its continued spread could reverse decades of progress towards food and nutritional security for the people of West and Central Africa," said Dr. Abdou Tenkouano, Executive Director of CORAF, the largest research organization in West and Central Africa.

The International Center for Agriculture and Biosciences (CABI) says that this caterpillar "could cause maize losses costing up to $6.1 billion a year to 12 African countries unless control methods are urgently put in place".

At an international gathering of food stakeholders in the Sahel and West Africa held in Cotonou, Benin, in December 2017, representatives of governments and international organizations joined CORAF in calling for a rapid response system in times of food crisis.

"The emergence of the armyworm simply suggests that our food systems cannot be completely protected against pests or other natural disasters, which is why sustainable arrangements capable of responding with speed are needed."

CORAF is currently working under the aegis of the Economic Community of West Africa, the first political and economic bloc in the region to devise an appropriate response.

The plan is to put in place a regional strategy with specific plans to combat the armyworm and limit its damage to farmers and communities.

Dangers posed by armyworms

According to CABI, the armyworm could cause maize yield losses of between 8.3 and 20.6 million tonnes per year, in the absence of any control methods, in just 12 African maize-producing countries.

This represents a margin of between 21 and 53% of average annual corn production over a three-year period in these countries.

The armyworm is expected to spread to suitable habitats in mainland sub-Saharan Africa over the coming growing seasons.

North Africa and Madagascar are also at risk.

Recommended actions

CABI recommends raising awareness of armyworm symptoms, early detection and control, and the creation and communication of a list of recommended and regulated pesticides and biopesticides for pest control.

"Work must also begin to assess which crop varieties can resist or tolerate armyworm. In the longer term, national policies should promote lower-risk control options through short-term subsidies and rapid evaluation and registration of biopesticides and biological control products.