Nearly 40,000 ha of maize affected by fall armyworm and other caterpillars

Rainfall continues satisfactorily with seasonal cumulative rainfall from April 1 to August 10 ranging from 200mm in the extreme north to 800mm in the southern half of the country. Overall, these accumulations are moderately above the ten-year average for the same period. This moisture is helpful for fertilizer application to newly planted crops. 

Overall, the phytosanitary situation, marked by attacks by caterpillars (defoliating caterpillar, fall armyworm, and others), affect almost all regions of the country except the northern region. As of July 20, nearly 40,000 ha of maize had been affected by caterpillars. Despite the efforts made by the national services (over 18,378 ha treated at the end of July), there is still much to be done to combat the infestations.

At the peak of the current lean season, poor households have access to two meals per day as in normal years and their demand on markets remains normal. This is made possible, on one hand, by the satisfactory supply of staple cereals on the market, despite the outward flow of cereals in response to demand from Niger and Nigeria. On the other hand, cereal prices are generally stable compared to the five-year average for maize and sorghum, with a slight increase (7 percent) for millet. Meanwhile, terms of trade for livestock/cereals, especially in the far north pastoral zone, remain similar to normal, except for an 11 percent decline in Gorom-Gorom market, which is affected by insecurity. 

Income sources for poor households are typical and are mainly derived from the provision of agricultural labor for field maintenance, the sale of animals, gold panning and small trade in non-wood forest products. The daily price of labor remains similar to the five-year average and prices of small ruminants are stable or slightly higher than the five-year average. Poor households also receive cash transfers from humanitarian organizations, particularly in the Central North, East, Sahel and Northern regions.