On farms across Africa, a seemingly innocuous brown and beige caterpillar is waging a silent war, devastating rural incomes and posing a major threat to the continent's food supply.

As the fall armyworm continues to ravage crops in the region, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has come up with a mobile application to help farmers and governments fight the pest.

Birnin Kebbi — Farmers in Kebbi State have raised alarm over a fresh invasion of their farms by maggots that are causing their crops to wither.

Most farmers in Kenya are struggling with useless chemicals or traditional methods like applying of tobacco dust on maize leaves to control the fall armyworm.

Jane Kisia, a farmer at Korowe village in Nyando, Kisumu county at her maize farm that has been largely invaded by the deadly fall army worms.

Agriculture is grappling with many pests already, and as USAid's Regina Eddy says, the armyworm is unique in that it is resistant to many conventional pesticides.

Cereals growers in North Rift region, the country's grain basket, are staring at heavy losses due to the re-emergence of the Fall armyworm.

Nagpur: The pest attack has left the cotton growers in a poor state as the rates for their produce have dropped sharply. Cotton arrival is strong in market even by March end.

The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation will receive Sh300 million to fight the deadly armyworm.

Cereal farmers in Rwanda have been warned to remain alert for a resurgence of the fall armyworm invasion.