SIREC Engages Maize Farmers on Sustainable Control of Fall Armyworm

A group of maize farmers seated outdoors under trees during a stakeholder engagement session, as a presenter from SIREC explains biological control methods for fall armyworm using a poster board.

On April 14, 2025, entomologists from the University of Ghana's Soil and Irrigation Research Centre (SIREC) held an engaging stakeholder session with maize farmers in the Lower Manya Krobo District. The interaction focused on ongoing research into the classical biological control of the invasive fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) using the imported specialist larval parasitoid Eiphosoma laphygmae.

This environmentally friendly approach presents a promising alternative to the widespread use of synthetic insecticides, which pose risks to human health, food safety, and the environment.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Department of Agriculture – Lower Manya District, farmer trainees from the A.G. Leventis Farmer Training Programme, University of Ghana-SIREC, and over 60 local maize farmers.

This stakeholder engagement forms part of a broader mission to promote sustainable and safer pest management practices while empowering farmers with knowledge and innovative tools for resilient agriculture.