Introduction: An Overview of the Impacts of Invasive Insect Species on Agriculture

Abstract

Agriculture plays a vital role in Africa, providing food and income. It contributes significantly to socio-economic development in rural and peri-urban areas. Among the many challenges that affect the productivity of the sector, invasive insect pests hold a ruinous position, as they inflict heavy economic yield losses. Over the past two decades, repeated scenarios of the invasions process have been experienced, characterised by the lack of preventive measures, weak and fragmented phytosanitary systems in terms of resources and infrastructure, policy and regulatory framework, and lack of capacity. This situation partly explains the high frequency of invasions and the high costs of emergency responses. Despite valuable research efforts being made to address incidences of invasive insect species, there is limited visibility of the successes and outcomes. It is imperative to shift from a passive stance and adopt predictive and proactive approaches to tackle these pests. This book, therefore, presents a panoramic view of invasive species research carried out in Africa. It is the fruit of a collaboration between several research entities and projects. It provides a slice of research work in the field of invasive insect pests management in Africa, and calls for a concerted effort to be made to harmonise research activities and promote knowledge exchange. The Volume covers a wide range of topics, which feeds into extension programmes and policy-making processes on the continent.