Employing ICT- enabled Extension Approaches for Increased Awareness and Response to

Fall armyworm.
Experiences from Kenya and Uganda
1st National Scientific Conference on FAW in Kenya
25th June 2019
Monica K. Kansiime, Tamsin Davis, Justice Tambo, Henry Mibei and Ivan Rwomushana
David Onyango Owino

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 what is CABI?
CABI is a not-for-profit science-based
development and information
organization

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 The problem

Invasive Species
● Arrive in a new area : alien, non-native
● Usually due to human activity
● Intentional or unintentional introductions
● Spread and cause problems
● Breed, adapt and expand exponentially in a new
environment
● Invasive species risk compounded by challenges in
agricultural extension
● high farmer to extension ratio e.g. Kenya 1:1000
(Manfre & Nodehn, 2013)
● Farmers and their families most affected due to lack of
information and awareness
● There’s an opportunity in leveraging ICT enabled
extension to reach more farmers with advice
● emergency situations where speed and scale is critical

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 Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Synopsis of events, Kenya & Uganda

2016 2018
• FAW first detected in Central and • Most African countries report FAW.
West Africa in 2016 • Projected to cause losses of 8M-20M
• Larvae feeds on more than 180 tonnes annually if not managed
plant species including maize rice, • Multiple stakeholders/agencies
sorghum, millet engaged in FAW management
• FAW detected in Uganda (June)
• Taskforce formed

2017
• FAW detected Kenya (March).
• Taskforce formed
• CABI evidence note projects impact &
implications for Africa
• Maize losses of up to 2.5M-6M US$ across
Africa in 2017

.
Risks from invasive pests like FAW on the rise (globalization, trade, climate change)

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 ..timely dissemination of
information on early
warning and management
of invasive i.e. FAW at
scale to key stakeholders
including farmers is
essential..

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 The solution
Fall armyworm campaigns (10-18 Weeks)
CABI working with in-country partners’ used ICT-enabled extension approaches to reach a wide range
of stakeholders with messages on Fall armyworm identification, monitoring and management

Kenya-Partners
MoALFI, KALRO, KEPHIS Formative
PCPB, PAD, Safaricom research Baseline
CABI assessment
Uganda-Partners
MAAIF (DCP), NARO, CABI
and other partners
Evaluation
and learning
Complementary ICT channels Campaign process Technical Brief
development

Campaign
Implementation Campaign
using ICTs
mobile video radio planning

..support extension systems by delivering information at speed and scale….

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 Impact and sustainability

Radio
TV Social media
Mobile (SMS, IVR)
Webpages
Numbers reached

Apps
Plant health rally

Farmer cluster meeting

Plant clinic
Extension worker
Farmer to farmer

Farmer field school

On field experience
by farmer

Message complexity
Effective targeting
Local adoption and impact

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 The result
Kenya
- 11 million Safaricom customers invited to join MoA-INFO service for free
- Farmers subscribe by texting ‘FARM’ or ‘SHAMBA’ to 40130 and receive free FAW
advice
- MoA-INFO platform is managed by Precision Agriculture for Development (PAD)

366,000 1,300 450 8.7 13.6M

Users registered Agrovets registered Ext. Officers registered Avg # of SMS sent SMS sent
per user per month 2019 LR

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE Courtesy of Precision Agriculture for Development (PAD)

 Uganda
- Combined total 400,478 farmers reached via mobile phone SMS, radio and
video (village based)

400,478
farmers reached

Mobile SMS Video screenings Community Radio

30,000 farmers 40,588 farmers 329,890 farmers

..messages translated/packaged into local languages…

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Combined Reach- Kenya and Uganda

Channel Country Female Male <35 years Total

Mobile SMS Kenya 46,680 86,670 66,675 133,350

(366,000*)
Mobile SMS Uganda 10,000 20,000 26,000 30,000

Video screening Uganda 2,265 1,979 1,273 4,244

Crowd pullerz Uganda 22,082 14,262 10,903 36,344

Radio Uganda 138,554 191,336 131,956 329,890

Total 219,581 314,247 236,807 533,828

* No of registered users as at 24th June 2019

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

Changes in farmer knowledge, attitude and practices

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

Changes in farmer knowledge, attitude and practices

93%***
Regular monitoring
69%

76%***
Use of chemical pesticides
55%

61%***
Early planting
39%

53%***
Handpicking of larvae
37%

37%***
Frequent weeding
16%

36%*
Destroying of infected plants
28%

28%***
Rotate with non-host crop
12%

23%*
Use of local innovations
16%

21%***
Fertilization
7%

11%*
Intercropping
6%

Campaign participants Non-participants

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Key learning by farmers

Cultural practices e.g. Cultural practices

intercropping, early e.g. regular
planting, monitoring, early
handpicking/crushing planting, rotation
FAW larvae with non host crop

FAW
Identification,
Reduced
misconceptions
of FAW spread.
Safe chemical use
practices i.e. timing
Key
of application, use
Kenya- Over 80% farmers learned of protective
new knowledge clothing
Uganda- Over 75% farmers learned
new knowledge

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 Conclusions and recommendations

• Assessments show evidence that participation in the ICT-based extension

campaigns significantly increased farmers’ knowledge about fall
armyworm and stimulated adoption of management practices for the pest
• Tackling threats and risks of an invasive pest like Fall armyworm, whose spread
is fast, requires speed and wide coverage of management information, all of
which can be achieved by using ICT-enabled approaches
• Policy should support the development of a strategic communication
framework for invasive species outbreaks to facilitate communication at speed
and at scale.
• CABI and partners recently reviewed FAW Technical Brief and are currently
developing with the support of a reference group of organizations that includes
Ministry of Agriculture Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation (MoALFI)
representatives, CIMMYT, IITA, AU-IAPSC, Farm Radio International and FAO
• Partnerships with various stakeholders facilitated and continues to enhance
FAW knowledge exchange

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

 ‫شكرا جزيال‬merci शुक्रिया zikomo
xie-xie obrigado
efharistó
ありがとう
thank
kiitos
urakoze
you
ke itumetse tak
gracias zikomo

dhanyawaad
asante
danke terima kasih
Visit: https://www.cabi.org/fall-armyworm/

CABI is an international intergovernmental organisation, and we gratefully acknowledge

the core financial support from our member countries and lead agencies including:

Ministry of Agriculture,
People’s Republic of China

KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE