The battle against fall armyworm

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility. The coordination of biosecurity efforts at a national level has its challenges. The coordination of biosecurity efforts at a global and regional level across geographical, political, and institutional boundaries presents an even greater challenge. This presentation provides an overview of recent collaborative efforts of international organisations, regional plant protection bodies, and technical specialists to coordinate biosecurity initiatives to help countries prevent, prepare for, and respond to biosecurity threats across the Asia Pacific region. Biosecurity pest threats such as the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) have caused devastating impact upon agricultural sectors at a global level in recent years, and are threatening the biosecurity status of our near neighbour and Pacific island countries as they move via natural and trade pathways through the region. Agricultural production and food trade need to continue for economic and food security reasons but require coordination and collaboration at global, regional and national levels to support local biosecurity systems. Global and regional level biosecurity programs such as the FAO Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control, the ASEAN Action Plan on Fall Armyworm Control, and the DFAT–DAWE Pacific Biosecurity Partnership Program are coordinating the mobilisation of technical, operational, academic, research and communication expertise and resources in a collaborative effort to battle the spread and impact of the fall armyworm across the region. These initiatives are not only providing technical and operational support to biosecurity agencies through the development of regionally and globally consistent fall armyworm resources, but also they are supporting livelihoods at village, grower and commercial levels through implementation of globally harmonised preparedness, response and management initiatives.