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Pests hampering crop production in Africa

A plethora of new diseases and emerging pests are reported to be hampering crop production and productivity in Africa, thus threatening food security on the continent.

Cassava, maize, banana, plantain, yam and horticultural crops, such as avocado, mango, citrus and guava, have been badly affected by the new diseases and insect pests, which, according to scientists, have reached epidemic and pandemic proportions, as they spread from country to country and region to region at an alarming rate.

These were observations made by a team of entomologists and scientists at the end of a three-day brainstorming session in Accra on, “Strategies for prevention and containing emerging diseases and pests in Africa.” It was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Office for Africa.

The aim of the session was to establish strategies for continental co-operation and a road map for the implementation of action plans for the prevention and control of emerging and existing biotic threats to agriculture.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the brainstorming session, the experts observed that efforts to control the diseases and insect pests were fragmented, with actions limited to some regions, allowing the epidemic to persist.

Furthermore, they noted that poor adoption of control measures, limited capacity for early and accurate detection and inadequate regulatory and phytosanitary management measure across Africa undermined efforts to deal with the problem.

They indicated that one of the key reasons for regional co-operation in disease and insect pests’ management was the nature of the organisms and so no country could deal with its problems in isolation.

The experts recommended the formalisation of alliance for the control of emerging plant pests and disease threats to food and horticultural crops in Africa.

They also called for the establishment of an FAO-RAF-led secretariat for co-ordination of alliance actions and regional implementation.

Furthermore, they called for the development of a strategy for regional co-ordination of measures to control emerging plant pest and disease threats to food and horticultural crops in Africa.

The experts also stressed the need to heighten awareness creation on the impact of pests and diseases on agriculture production, food security and export trade.

They also found it imperative to advocate effective policies and increased resource allocation among stakeholders on the continent and development partners to facilitate implementation in a holistic manner.

By Kofi Yeboah
Writer’s Email: [email protected]


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