Enhancing Monitoring and Control of the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) by Citizen Science

The Fall Armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda - Lepidoptera) is an insect that feeds on
more than 80 plant species and causes major damage to economically important crops
including maize, rice or sugarcane. While in cooler climates development slows down to
one or a few generations per year because frost kills the insect, in Africa, the FAW moths
can travel hundreds of kilometers per night and reproduce every 1–2 months, which helped
the pest spread rapidly. Environmental and climatic analyses of Africa show that the FAW is
likely to build permanent and significant populations in West and Southern Africa,
spreading to other regions when weather or temperatures are favourable.
Located in the Central Africa, the DR Congo is now facing this challenge. Since 2016, the
FAW has caused important yield losses (up to 80% in 4 regions) where maize is cultivated.
Almost 50 of the 147 administrative territories have been affected. The damage resulted in
a surge in commodity prices (the price of a 25 kg bag of corn rose from $ 10 to $ 30).