On World Food Day, CABI’s Global Lead for Pest Preparedness, Dr Ivan Rwomushana, considers how pest preparedness can safeguard ‘foods for a better life and a better future’ helping smallholder farmers to access the knowledge they need to prepare for and address the spread of pests.
When it comes to addressing food security, pest preparedness – predicting, preventing and preparing for plant health threats – is essential. It is estimated that around 828 million people go hungry every day, unable to access nutritious, safe and sufficient food. Many of them are smallholder farmers or people who depend on their outputs. However, up to 40% of crops grown worldwide are destroyed by plant pests and diseases.
Pests can cause billions of dollars of damage and food loss. In 2021, CABI scientists conducted the first comprehensive study on the economic impact of a range of invasive species on Africa’s agricultural sector. They estimated the cost to be USD $65.58 billion annually. This figure is equivalent to 2.5% of the gross domestic product of all African countries combined. While it is not always possible to entirely prevent pest invasions, preparing for them can help to safeguard food security and smallholder livelihoods.
On World Food Day, we’re taking a look at pest preparedness. What is it, and why is PlantwisePlus focusing on it? How does it support smallholder farmers and, most importantly, why is it essential for food security? How can preparing for pest invasions help countries to combat hunger and poverty?
The challenges of preparing for pests – building it into sustainable food systems
As the global population increases, so too does the demand for food. According to the FAO, by 2050, food demand is expected to grow by more than 70%. However, at the same time, climate change is set to increase the spread of plant pests and diseases. We can, therefore, expect further pest invasions – unless action is taken and sustainable food systems that incorporate pest preparedness are developed and implemented. Developing adaptive, climate-resilient pest response strategies that align with sustainable practices is essential.
Putting in place sustainable food systems that work for smallholders is a critical part of food security, and preparing for pest invasions is an important element of that. Supporting the integration of pest preparedness into these systems can help to minimize crop losses, reduce hunger and increase rural incomes. PlantwisePlus is doing just this. It is a programme that supports countries with approaches and tools for pest preparedness and response.
Today, nations are tackling the spread of pests such as apple snail, cassava brown streak disease and papaya mealybug. All of these pests threaten food security, farmer livelihoods and the wider economy.
PlantwisePlus – supporting countries with pest preparedness and response strategies
Working with countries to prepare for pest invasions is a core part of the PlantwisePlus programme. To respond to the needs of farmers and the systems that support them, PlantwisePlus helps countries to predict, prevent, and prepare for plant health threats and reduce crop losses. PlantwisePlus aims to reach 75 million smallholder farmers in low and lower-middle income countries by 2030, providing them with access to the knowledge and skills they need.
Delivered through gender-sensitive and climate-resilient approaches, PlantwisePlus is tackling the challenges facing smallholder production through three impact pathways: Pest Preparedness, Pesticide Risk Reduction and Farmer Advisory.
The first, the Pest Preparedness Pathway, addresses the need for a more coordinated rapid response at regional, national and local levels to pest outbreaks. PlantwisePlus supports the development and enhancement of processes that enable countries and regional organizations to quickly and effectively identify, prioritize and respond to pest threats, integrating the latest information on pest distribution and climate change models. The programme assists countries with the development and implementation of coordinated plans for responding to priority crop health threats before they arrive and to share timely and accurate advice with smallholder farmers through tailored pest risk alerting systems.
Moreover, the prioritization element of the pathway identifies key pests for which biological control (biocontrol) options can be developed, tested and promoted. Biocontrol has been used effectively to control and manage invasive pests for over 100 years.
Developing tools for pest preparedness and response
Pest preparedness is a term used for both pests that have not yet invaded (establishing contingency plans, for example), as well as preparing for the management of pests that are already established but build up during a season. This double meaning means that we can include projects, among other things, that forecast seasonal pest invasions such as the UK Space Agency-funded Pest Risk Information Service (PRISE).
Developed under PlantwisePlus and launched in 2017, PRISE is a forecasting system that helps farmers prepare for pest outbreaks, including seasonal outbreaks, by providing timely alerts. This enables more effective and efficient pest management. By 2021, PRISE had reached over 1.8 million farmers in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia, warning them of pest outbreaks and leading to an average 13% yield increase for smallholders compared to those not using the service.
In the case of the fall armyworm pest, 59% of farmers receiving PRISE alerts adjusted their practices based on its recommendations. The project has a remarkable return on investment of 1:182. PRISE also promotes sustainable agriculture by reducing farmers’ reliance on chemical pesticides. Beyond pest management, the adaptable PRISE platform could be expanded to address other climate risks, like floods and droughts, through early warning systems. The service is a valuable tool in combating climate change and supporting smallholder farmers.
Pest preparedness protects future food production and future farmer livelihoods
Pest preparedness is vital for safeguarding food security and supporting smallholder farmers. PlantwisePlus equips countries with the tools and knowledge to predict, better anticipate, detect, prevent and respond to plant health risks in a timely manner, protecting crops and livelihoods. By integrating pest preparedness into sustainable food systems, countries can minimize crop losses, reduce hunger and enhance agricultural trade. This approach not only strengthens local economies but also promotes resilience in the face of increasing climate-related pest threats.
Also see our blog that looks further into pest preparedness and CABI’s Horizon Scanning Tool and Pest Risk Analysis Tool. These tools have helped Ghana’s authorities to implement their commodity pest risk assessments.
Additional information
Main image: Dr Ivan Rwomushana at the pilot roll-out of the biopesticide, Fawligen, against the fall armyworm on maize in South Sudan. This was a partnership project between CABI and AgBiTech, CIMMYT, FAO, USAID and the South Sudan Ministry of Agriculture.
PlantwisePlus gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), Netherlands; European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA, EU); the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), United Kingdom; and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
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