Machine-learning app to fight invasive crop pest in Africa

Since the arrival of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) caterpillar in West Africa in early 2016, true to its name, it has been marching quickly and mercilessly through the continent, eating maize (corn) along with sorghum, millet, and rice and causing billions of dollars in crop losses. It has now been confirmed or reported in every sub-Saharan African country and was recently found in southern India, beginning its likely spread into much of the Asian continent. The time for eradication has long passed, and scientists, NGOs, and governments are now focused on control. For some, this means chemical pesticides, but these are expensive and many smallholders do not know how to safely apply the chemicals, making them a threat to human and environmental health, including the survival of other insects and their predators. Additionally, many farmers have said that even when they spray the pesticides, they are ineffective.