Intro:

Africa’s Cabo Verde islands are facing a “formidable” agricultural and economic challenge in the form of an invasive pest known as the Fall Armyworm.

With more than half-a-million people living on the Atlantic archipelago’s nine islands, entire crops are at risk of being wiped out by the fast-breeding moth.

But now, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has joined forces with authorities there to combat the threat, without damaging the environment or farmers’ livelihoods – especially in vulnerable rural areas.

Greg Delaney has this special report from Cabo Verde.