Invasives Blog

A new Fall Armyworm Portal, which includes the very latest reports and research regarding the devastating crop pest, now features as part of a major upgrade of CABI’s Invasive Species Compendium (ISC) launched today.

The portal, created as part of the CABI-led Action on Invasives programme – funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Netherland’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) – is now an integral part of the ISC, which receives over 1.5 million visits a year.

Other improvements to the ISC include over 5,000 new practical information resources, including factsheets and pest management decision guides, for the identification and management of invasive species such as the fall armyworm, tomato leafminer and Parthenium weed.

The ISC, which contains a bibliographic database of over 200,000 records, has also undergone a refreshed design that allows for easy linking to CABI’s toolbox of apps, the recently launched Horizon Scanning Tool (which helps users identify potential invasive species threats to a country, state or province), and pest alerts.

Cambria Finegold, CABI’s Global Director, Knowledge Management, said, “CABI is delighted to present its expertise in solving problems in agriculture and the environment on a platform which already provides an invaluable resource to researchers, pest risk assessors, farmers, protected area managers, plant protection officers and quarantine officers.

“The latest upgrades, including the addition of the Fall Armyworm Portal, form a central repository for information resources collated from a wide range of contributors including many of the key organisations collaborating in the FAO-led Framework for Partnership for Sustainable Management of the Fall Armyworm in Africa and the Fall Armyworm Research for Development International Consortium.

“More information portals will continue to be added in response to outbreaks, providing users with the information they need to improve rural livelihoods through preventing and managing invasive species that threaten agricultural productivity, biodiversity or human health.”

Genevieve Renard, Head of Communications, CIMMYT, said, “This portal, which facilitates the sharing of research knowledge and extension messages for organisations responding to the fall armyworm outbreak, will be a key tool in coordinating efforts across Africa.”

Find out more about the CABI-led Action on Invasives programme here: https://www.cabi.org/projects/project/62665

Visit the new upgraded Invasive Species Compendium here: https://www.cabi.org/isc