Fall Army Worm (Spodoptera frugiperda) was first reported in Africa in 2016. The pest has since spread to 44 Member States. From the very onset of entry into the continent, IAPSC has been at the forefront in building capacity of Member States in the management of the FAW.

The African Union Commission through IAPSC jointly with various partner organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) instituted strategic responses to manage and control the rapidly spreading FAW outbreak in Africa. Through mobilization of partnerships and resources in support of effective response, the FAO Technical Cooperation Project was approved.

This TCP enabled IAPSC to contribute towards mitigation of the FAW outbreak through advocacy, sensitization and awareness raising, securing buy-in from policy makers, strengthening governance frameworks, establishment of national and regional surveillance and monitoring systems for early warning, as well as promotion of sustainable FAW management options.