The Consortium for Red Palm Weevil Control (C4RPWC) researchers are taking coordinated steps to detect, contain, and control the destructive Red Palm Weevil (RPW) across North Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the pest continues to threaten livelihoods, food systems, and cultural landscapes dependent on palm cultivation.
Launched in the UAE, Egypt, and Morocco, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)-led consortium—working in partnership with the UAE Presidential Court and the Gates Foundation—has established field hubs, recruited multidisciplinary scientific teams, aligned national and regional partners, and begun preparing experimental trials aimed at translating research into field-ready solutions.
“With fieldwork now underway across the UAE, Egypt, Kenya, India, and Morocco, we thank our donors, partners, and local communities for their support. Together, we are turning research into real action to protect palms and the people who rely on them,” said Dr. Mojeeb Stanikzai, C4RPWC Program Manager at ICARDA.
In the UAE, the Al Hamraniyah Research Center has been designated as the national hub for RPW research and field trials. Thirty-six sites across seven emirates are being prepared to test integrated technology bundles, including traps, sensors, and innovative treatments.
C4RPWC researchers have carried out joint field visits with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to confirm site readiness, while pilots of Aretor endotherapy—a biorational pesticide injected into palm trunks for preventive and curative control—are being prepared under strict residue and safety protocols.
The program is also collaborating with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre on remote sensing and plans to deploy Internet of Things (IoT) acoustic sensors for early detection of infestations.
In Egypt, C4RPWC researchers are working closely with the Agricultural Research Center, the Desert Research Center, and Cairo University to focus interventions where they are most urgently needed.
Five governorates have been selected for mixed-farm trials that combine experimental plots with real-world farming practices, with farmers actively involved in shaping and validating the trials.
At the same time, large-scale microbiome sampling of RPW populations has begun to better understand the bacteria and fungi associated with the pest, with newly recruited analysis teams translating findings into practical control strategies.
In Morocco, the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique is leading efforts to prevent RPW incursions into northern urban zones, particularly targeting the ornamental Phoenix canariensis palm.
Collaboration with the National Office for Food Safety is supporting regulatory alignment, stakeholder engagement, training-of-trainers, and urban sensor pilots.
By establishing early-warning and surveillance systems, Morocco is positioning itself as a model for proactive RPW prevention before the pest becomes established.
Beyond North Africa and the UAE, preparatory work is advancing in East Africa and South Asia. In Kenya, surveys are mapping RPW presence, host plants, and natural enemies to support early containment across the Horn of Africa, including Somalia and Djibouti.
In India, C4RPWC partners have convened at ICRISAT headquarters to launch a Digital Innovations workstream focused on early-warning systems, AI-enabled detection, and scalable digital tools for RPW surveillance.
Through these coordinated efforts, C4RPWC aims not only to contain a devastating pest, but also to demonstrate how science, technology, and collaboration can safeguard ecosystems, livelihoods, and the communities that depend on palm resources.
