How Changes in Weather Patterns Could Lead to More Insect Invasions

Outbreaks of insect pests and insect invasions are on the rise on the African continent.

Currently, several African countries – including Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia – are dealing with the one of the most devastating outbreaks of desert locusts. This comes after recent fall armyworm invasions which affected more than 44 African countries. Countries also grapple with more localised pest invasions of insects like the South American tomato moth and maize stem borers.

Many countries suffer from a lack of food because the insects can consume, or destroy, huge amounts of crops. Just five invasive insect pests are estimated to cost the African continent US$1.1billion every year.

Insect-pest related crop losses and pest invasions are projected to increase as the climate changes. Projected changes include changes in temperature – with many regions becoming warmer – and the amount of precipitation. Insects thrive in warmer temperatures.

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Why Cereals Matter: The Cereals Imperative of Future Food Systems

By Martin Kropff and Matthew Morell

Pioneering research on our three most important cereal grains — maize, rice, and wheat — has contributed enormously to global food security over the last half century, chiefly by boosting the yields of these crops and by making them more resilient in the face of drought, flood, pests and diseases. But with more than 800 million people still living in chronic hunger and many more suffering from inadequate diets, much remains to be done. The challenges are complicated by climate change, rampant degradation of the ecosystems that sustain food production, rapid population growth and unequal access to resources that are vital for improved livelihoods.

In recent years, a consensus has emerged among agricultural researchers and development experts around the need to transform global food systems, so they can provide healthy diets while drastically reducing negative environmental impacts. Certainly, this is a central aim of CGIAR — the world’s largest global agricultural research network — which views enhanced nutrition and sustainability as essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. CGIAR scientists and their many partners contribute by developing technological and social innovations for the world’s key crop production systems, with a sharp focus on reducing hunger and poverty in low- and middleincome countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

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Africa’s Youth as a Demographic Dividend

By Dr. Segenet Kelemu - Director General ,icipe

One of icipe’s strengths is constant alertness to the changing developmental needs arising from emerging issues in Africa. Currently, the Centre recognises the urgent need to create productive employment for young people.

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with more than 400 million people aged between 15 to 35 years. This “youth bulge” will become a demographic loss if the status quo is maintained. For example, while the young people make up 40 percent of the continent’s workforce, they also comprise 60 percent of the unemployed. And that is not taking into account the “poor working youth”, that is, young people in vulnerable employment and those who are underemployed in informal sectors; or unpaid working youth, majority of them women. Icipe is committed to contributing to realising the potential of the youth as a demographic dividend for Africa. The selected examples below demonstrate the Centre’s approaches and outcomes towards the goal of harnessing the youth, as Africa’s most valuable resource.

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Types of Fertilizers and their Deficiency Symptoms in Maize

Fertilizers can be broadly classified by application method and by nutrients found in the fertilizer. The classification can vary based on:

Application method This method classifies fertilizers through the different methods it is applied in the farm. Under this there are foliar fertilizers that are applied by spraying the leaves.

Modern foliar fertilizers are liquid fertilizers that are highly concentrated with the required nutrients.

Nutrients
This classification looks into the number of nutrients available in the fertilizer and sometimes the type of the primary macronutrient. Under this class we have Single nutrient fertilizers also known as straight fertilizers and Compound fertilizers or multi-nutrient fertilizers.

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