Can Agronomic and Cultural Strategic Practices Control Fall Armyworm, Boost Smallholder Productivity, and Strengthen Household Food Security in Malawi?

Agronomic and Cultural Strategic (ACS) practices present sustainable solutions to the Fall Armyworm (FAW) outbreak in agrarian economies. FAW (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive lepidopteran pest, has caused severe yield losses since its first detection in 2016. Its rapid spread, intensified by rising temperatures, threatens food security in Sub-Saharan African countries such as Malawi. While synthetic pesticides are commonly promoted for FAW control, their high cost and environmental risks limit their acceptability, accessibility, and sustainability. Using nationally representative data, this study evaluates the impact of ACS practices on sustained smallholder farm productivity and food security in Malawi. We find that FAW significantly reduces farm productivity by 13%. However, the adoption of ACS practices increased farm productivity by 28% and household food security by 14%, highlighting the effectiveness of ACS practices in managing FAW and enhancing household food security. Key land characteristics, particularly soil type and slope, also significantly influence farm productivity outcomes by at least 30%. Among ACS practices, sustainable land management measures proved to be the most effective strategy for enhancing household food security, yielding an average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) of 14.99 percentage points, with manure application (ATT = 4.89), agroforestry (ATT = 4.18), and mulching (ATT = 3.68) contributing the most. Agricultural extension advisory services and input subsidies were key complementary interventions to enhance the adoption and effectiveness of ACS practices as viable and sustainable pathways for managing FAW, improving farm productivity, and enhancing food security among farming households in Malawi.