Last year, one of the world’s most destructive pests, Fall Armyworm, found its way from the Americas to Africa and has since spread to more than 20 countries on the continent. The pests have caused vast destruction to farm fields on the continent, threatening food security. With no clear-cut strategy to eliminate the pests, African governments have responded by importing tonnes of chemicals to kill them- a move experts have warned pose major threats to the environment.

We will be screening a 25 minute documentary titled “RAMPAGING SOLDIERS”, a piece produced by African journalist Joseph Opoku Gakpo that tells the story of how farmers are struggling to cope with the pest invasion. This will be followed by a discussion on what the possible environmentally sustainable alternatives to deal with such invasive pests are, and the role young environmentalists can play in the efforts to preserve the environment, even as we try to ensure a food secure world.