First detection of Fall armyworm in the United Arab Emirates

On 7 May, 2020 the United Arab Emirates announced the first detection of Spodoptera frugiperda (Fall armyworm, FAW) in the areas of Al Ain, Al Dafra and Abu Dhabi.

The declaration was an outcome of a national survey conducted in host crop fields and border through cooperation between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority and local governments. The survey confirmed that corn fields infested by the suspected FAW larvae consisted of about 0.003% of the UAE agricultural areas.

Currently the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority is taking emergency measures to monitor and control the spread of FAW.