FAO has received various indications that the following highly hazardous pesticides have been used or recommended for use to control Fall Armyworm in African countries:
In addition, the use of pyrethroids and neonicotinoids has been reported to control Fall Armyworm. It should be noted that resistance development though the use of pyrethroids is a concern for public health in malaria – affected countries. And that the use of neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid pose risks to pollinators where present.
This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of HHPs in use in the African countries. It is the result of a first assessment of the pesticides that have been reported to be in use or recommended for use on Fall Armyworm and assessed against the FAO/WHO JMPM criteria. It is very likely that other HHPs are currently in use. Some African countries have prohibited the use of these and other pesticides due to the conditions of use.
The options for mitigating risks of highly hazardous pesticides range from ending, restricting or changing formulations or uses. Selection of the most appropriate option will vary from case to case and depend on risk levels and needs, but also on policies and adequacy of institutional infrastructure for pesticide management.
FAO recommends an Integrated Pest Management approach with the use of low-risk pesticides as the last resort. Within the group of low-risk pesticides, bio pesticides are considered to be the best option. However, if there are temporary constraints to the use of biopesticides, low-risk pesticides, e.g. products falling under WHO hazard classes III and U, can be considered.