Worldwide, maize is the third most important cereal after rice and wheat. It occupies 197 million hectares of planted area. Asia contributes to nearly 30 percent of global maize supplies, and area and production of the crop is rapidly increasing in the continent. Minimum support prices, swelling market demand from the animal feed and processing industries, as well as human consumption, have all led to increased maize production in zones where precipitation limits rice cultivation. However, maize production is currently threatened by the arrival in Asia (in 2018) of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) – a native to North America. It invaded India in 2018 and since then it has marched to most of the Asian countries. In 2019, its presence was confirmed in 13 Asian countries including Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam. In 2020, it was confirmed in Australia, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea. In August 2021, it reached the Solomon Islands, posing a serious threat to other Pacific islands. FAW is a fast-dispersing, migratory, transboundary insect pest. While high FAW incidences have been reported on several crops in Asia, the most important economic damage caused is to maize (followed by sorghum). The FAW invasion threatens the food security of millions of family farms in Asia, with smallholder farmers being especially vulnerable. The negative economic impact of FAW is not only evident in yield loss: the pest also leads to a significant increase in insecticide applications, with associated health, environmental and cost issues. At the same time, resilience to FAW on the continent is currently weakened by the limited access to necessary tools, technologies and sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) practices for FAW. Thus, there is an urgent need to implement an effective approach to FAW management in Asia.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2023 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

This guide has been developed for extension officers in both the public and the private, including those interested in agricultural development in Zambia. The goal of this manual is to serve as a tool that allows readers to access up to date information about various agricultural practices and their advantages and disadvantages. There are many organisations in Zambia that have programs that aim towards sustainable development in the agricultural sector. Amongst these programs, there are many different approaches to the goal of improving livelihoods. Although these various programs have good reasons for promoting their specific methods, this manual aims to take an independent stance to portray what all of them offer and why. This manual also includes significant information about new approaches and traditional farmer practices or conventional farming methods. The central theme in this manual is that there can never be only one way to achieve a goal under such diverse conditions as are found in agriculture. Although a certain amount of benefit can be gained by rigid guidelines to agricultural practice (for example a specific crop spacing, tillage method or fertilizer recommendation), the diverse factors that affect peoples’ decisions relate to economic, social and environmental conditions make such guidelines impractical in many cases.

The fall armyworm (FAW), which originated in the Americas, has invaded more than 80 countries in Africa, the Near East, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe. It reduces maize yields by up to 73 percent and inflicts economic losses worth USD 9.4 billion in Africa alone. To address these challenges, Director-General Qu Dongyu launched the Global Action on Fall Armyworm Control in 2019 to coordinate efforts while adopting an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. Since then, FAO has been working with stakeholders and partners through this programme to reach impact on a scale – at global, regional and national levels. Outcomes were showcased at the FAO Global Symposium on Sustainable Fall Armyworm Management held in Beijing, China, from 31 October to 2 November 2023. The symposium focused on “Charting a global response to future invasive pests” and brought together more than 40 speakers and 200 worldwide participants. They shared their best practices and exchanged valuable knowledge, drawing lessons from the past and laying a robust foundation for the active prevention and sustainable response to future biological invasions. These proceedings reflect this symposium.

Fall armyworm (FAW), or Spodoptera frugiperda, is a plant pest originating in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Over the last few years, FAW has rapidly spread around Africa, Asia and and, most recently, Oceania. Concerted action is essential to prevent this pest from threatening the food security and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. FAO’s new initiative, the Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control, aims to mobilize USD 500 million over three years, from 2020 to 2022, for radical, direct and coordinated measures to strengthen monitoring and pest control capacities at global level. FAO developed its Global Action to improve food security and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers, and reduce environmental pollution through sustainable management and control of FAW. To achieve this, the Global Action will ensure a strong, coordinated approach at country, regional and global levels to massively scale up current worldwide efforts against FAW through multiple mechanisms, such as Farmer Field Schools, partnerships with research institutions and the private sector, South–South Cooperation, regional and national plant protection organizations, and specific national FAW task forces. The Global Action has three key objectives: 1. enhance global, regional, national and farmer-level coordination and collaboration on FAW control, leading to implementation of ecosystem-friendly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices and policies; 2. reduce crop yield losses caused by FAW; and 3. reduce the risk of further spread of FAW to new areas.

The Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) 2022 annual progress report captures the key achievements of the FVC, both in terms of its role as a pooled fund for non-earmarked and softly earmarked contributions from resource partners and the implementation of development initiatives through FVC subprogrammes. The report provides a comprehensive understanding of the FVC's role within the Organization, the contribution of FVC-funded work to the achievements of FAO's four betters and their respective Programme Priority Areas (PPAs), and the future direction of the FVC based on experiences in 2022. The report comprises six sections: (1) Introduction, (2) Achievements of the FVC as a fund, (3) Achievements of FVC programmes (the four betters), (4) Key FVC principles, (5) Challenges and lessons learned, and (6) Conclusions and future actions.

Fall Armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) is a pest originating in the Americas: it can fly over 100 km per day; it feeds on over 80 hosts; and a female moth can deposit 1 000 eggs during its life. Challenges in mitigating FAW damage include, among others, lack of the following: coordination at global, regional and national levels; effective monitoring and control techniques; and effective phytosanitary measures and capacity at national level. The Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control (GA, 2020-2022) was launched by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu on 4 December 2019 with a mandate for a strong and coordinated approach to strengthen prevention and sustainable pest control capacities. The GA focuses on Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Near East, where an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy will be implemented in countries with significant pest presence, and a prevention strategy will be conducted in areas with limited or no distribution of the pest. The GA has continued to support countries in managing FAW throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting webinars and virtual trainings on FAW monitoring and management and by implementing activities where possible. The Resource Mobilization Guide is intended as a roadmap for use by key stakeholders at regional and national levels to help them identify and engage with a diverse range of existing and potential resource mobilization partners on the critical importance of FAW control for a wide range of sustainable development outcomes.

Fall Armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda) was first reported in Africa in 2016. Since then, it has become a very destructive invasive pest in sub-Saharan Africa. Its main impact is on maize crops and affects different stages of growth, from early vegetative to physiological maturity. In several countries affected by FAW attack, farmer responses have been predominantly based on the use of chemical pesticides. It is important to ensure the safe use of such pesticides by farmers, but also to promote and deploy an integrated pest management (IPM) package against FAW. Farmers need the right advice, tools and resources to sustainably manage FAW. This manual provides farmers and extension service providers easy-to-use information on how they can manage FAW in smallholder cropping systems. It provides information about modules for training trainers in FAW pest diagnostics, scouting, management and data collection. The objective of this training is to provide trainers and farmers with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to identify FAW and differentiate it from other similar pests; understand the life cycle of FAW; and, know how to monitor and manage the pest. This manual gives trainers the information they need in order to support and sustain an IPM approach for FAW management in their communities. The manual is modular and allows for updates in the future as more knowledge and solutions to manage FAW become available.

The 2021 Annual Report – Plant Production and Protection provides in-depth information, key facts and figures from the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP).