Red Palm Weevil

Protecting Palms, Livelihoods, and the Environment

The Global Fight Against Red Palm Weevil (RPW)

The Problem: Why Red Palm Weevil is a Global Threat

Present in 49+ countries

$2 billion in annual crop losses

35 million trees infested

50 million farmers affected

Silent killer – larvae damage is hard to detect

RPW Global
Geographical Distribution

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (RHYCFE)

= Present

= Transient

The fight against Red Palm Weevil requires science-driven solutions, strong partnerships, and actionable strategies. ICARDA is committed to translating research into action, helping farmers, policymakers, and communities safeguard their livelihoods and protect vital ecosystems.

Aly Abousabaa
Director General, ICARDA & Regional Director, Central and West Asia and North Africa, CGIAR

The UAE has taken concrete steps to turn pledges and investments into action. This groundbreaking work is a testament to the UAE’s commitment and global leadership on food security, agricultural innovation, and giving small-scale farmers impactful tools to make correct decisions.

Mariam Almheiri
Chair of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, UAE

Even without climate change, agriculture represents a vast investment opportunity, especially when addressing issues like low income and malnutrition. But with climate change compounding these challenges, it’s critical that we set clear goals and invest wisely in agriculture. We are committed to supporting partnerships that help countries tackle these pressing issues and make the right investments to support farmers worldwide.

Bill Gates
Co-founder, Microsoft & Founder, Gates Foundation

Our Solution:The C4RPWC Approach

Co-supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Gates Foundation, the Consortium for Red Palm Weevil Control (C4RPWC) is a holistic, multi-partner strategy to control RPW in the UAE and scale solutions to low- and middle-income countries.

ICARDA’s dual role as the consortium coordinator and the lead for scaling and socioeconomics is crucial for bridging scientific innovation with real-world implementation.

Co-leads and supporting partners act as collaborators contributing complementary skills, infrastructure, and regional insights.

Private sector involvement will ensure that technology providers contribute to practical and scalable solutions.

UAE
ICBA, ADAFSA, MOCCAE, KIADPAI, Municipalities, UAEU, NYU, ATRC-TII, Silal

Regional
ICARDA, icipe, KAUST, IITA, Palmear, Real IPM, ICRISAT, UM6P, ICAR, ARC Egypt

International
UC-Davis, CIRARD, ISCC, INRAE, CNR, CISR, CSIC, Syngenta, Spectral Analytics, Agrint, Spotta, Syensgo, Corteva, ChemTica, Embrapa, CGIAR

The Five Pillars of Action

The C4RPWC program integrates five research-for-innovation workstreams to develop and scale sustainable solutions.

Biobased Solutions

Lead: International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)
Developing eco-friendly traps, biopesticides, and natural predators to reduce RPW populations.

= Artificial intelligence

= Bacteria

= Nematodes

= Natural predators

= Semiochemical

Biotechnological Innovations

Lead: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Leveraging gene editing, RNAi and sterile insect techniques for long-term RPW suppression.

Digital Innovations & Big Data

Lead: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
Artificial Intelligence, remote sensing, and Internet of Things sensors for early detection and outbreak prevention.

Farm Services

Real-Time Monitoring

RPW – Risk Prediction Maps

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)

Lead: International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA)
Strengthening palm health through better irrigation, certified seedlings, and pest-resistant crops.

Translating Research into Action

Lead: ICARDA
Ensuring real-world impact through scaling strategies, farmer adoption pathways, community engagement and citizen science, and economic and policy analysis for sustainable RPW management.

Roadmap to Impact

New innovations under the C4RPWC program’s five pillars of action will lead to improved ecological resistance of date palm to RPW infestations, and therefore will improve productivity of date palms in the United Arab Emirates and low- and middle-income countries. The development impact will be twofold:

improved environmental and human health due to reduced pesticide use
reduced losses to biotic threats on farms

Challenges

Heavy synthetic insecticide use

Inadequate, unsustainable control

Slow, inefficient infestation response

Poor agronomic practices aggravating infestations

Research areas

Climate resilient biobased management

Biotechnological innovations for sustainable control

Digital innovation & big data

GAPs for RPW

Outputs

Attractant & trapping systems, RNAi treatments, dsRNA sprays, EPFs for biopesticides and induced systemic resistance, nano-chitosan & chitosan-encapsulated biopesticides, sterilized males, natural enemies, GIS/AI-guided scaling

CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technique, transgene-free genome-editing system for date palm, transgenic palm lines with enhanced pest resistance, microbiome technology

AI-designed RPW & date palm search engine, model to predict management outcomes, IoT sensors (acoustic) based in-situ trials, drone-based hyperspectral imaging, satellite-based imagery, ED-EW-EA platform

MFFSs & demo plots, GAP guidelines, recommendations for GAP-related policies & regulations, phytosanitary regulations & certified nurseries, multi-stakeholder innovative platforms

Facilitated by…

Scaling, socio-economics & citizen science

Capacity strengthening & outreach/stakeholder engagement

Provided that...

Farmers & value chain actors are motivated to practice sustainable, cost-effective RPW management

Researchers & decision makers in the agricultural sector(s) are inspired and willing to adopt project approaches & outputs

Governments, other stakeholders have a predisposition toward evidence-based decision-making

Funding partners (UAE, GF etc.) support RPW interventions informed by cutting-edge science during and after project

Research outcomes

Multiplication & spread of RPW is controlled to non-economically significant levels

Improved productivity of date palms in UAE & LMICs

Improved ecological resistance of date palms to RPW infestation

Large scale, sustained adoption & appropriate use of RPW management innovations by local research and agricultural development practitioners, extension services, farming communities & urban dwellers in UAE & LMICs

Development outcomes and impacts

Improved environmental & human health due to reduced pesticide use (CGIAR PH AoW 4)

Losses to biotic threats reduced on farms (CGIAR PH AoW 4)

Potential Benefits to LMICs

Improved readiness for dealing with invasive species
Demonstrating how community engagement can facilitate pest management
Reduced pesticide costs and improved agricultural productivity
Improved readiness for scaling up of early detection and timely warning system
Training, awareness program, and support to extension services
Adaptable and adoptable user-friendly and inexpensive mobile app for early detection, monitoring, and early decision for action
Strengthening invasive species policies