A Review of Push-Pull Technology's Effect on the Management of Fall Armyworms (Spodoptera Frugiperda) in Ethiopian Maize (Zea Mays) Production

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive pest first reported in Ethiopia in 2017, has emerged one of the most serious threats to maize production. Its high reproductive potential, polyphagous, and rapid spreading capacity has led to substantial crop loss and economic damage in Ethiopia. Reliance on existing pest management strategies based on synthetic insecticides are proving increasingly unsustainable due to the costs, pest resistance, access to crop protection products, and environmental damage associated with pesticides. Push-pull technology (PPT) has emerged as an agroecological innovation based on cropping maize with repellent intercrops (e.g. Desmodium species) and trap crops (e.g. Brachiaria or Napier grass) can also help partially draw and trap FAW to some extent. Recent evidence (within the 2020 to 2025 period) indicated that PPT can reduce fall armyworm infestation, reduce crop loss/damage, effectively promote natural enemy populations, improve soil health/quality, and increase household resilience. This review presents evidence from Ethiopia and more broadly across East Africa to disentangle mechanisms and pathways for effectively (and ineffectively) implementing PPT in Ethiopian maize systems. The review highlighted the potential for PPT in Ethiopia for sustainable fall armyworm management but acknowledged the need for strengthened institutional support, improved seed systems, and better integration into climate-smart agricultural pathways to facilitate future adoption.