The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an invasive insect pest attacking maize in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa countries. Biological control will need to be an important management strategy, and a first step was to identify potential natural enemies. Sampling was conducted in different localities of the 10 regions of Ghana from May to Nov 2017. A total of 1,062 larvae were collected from 106 maize farms, and the presence of natural enemies was recorded in 18 (17.0%) farms. Among natural enemies recorded, 7 species were parasitoids: Chelonus bifoveolatus Szpligeti, Coccygidium luteum (Brull), Cotesia icipe Fernandez, Meteoridea testacea (Granger), and Bracon sp. (all Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Anatrichus erinaceus Loew (Diptera: Chloropidae), and an undetermined tachinid fly (Diptera: Tachinidae). The parasitism rate was 3.58%. Three predator species were collected: Pheidole megacephala (F.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Haematochares obscuripennis Stål, and Peprius nodulipes (Signoret) (both Heteroptera: Reduviidae). The 2 most abundant parasitoids were C. bifoveolatus and C. luteum with a relative abundance of 29.0% and 23.7%, respectively, and a parasitism rate of 1.04% and 0.85%, respectively. However, C. bifoveolatus was the most dispersed parasitoid, found in 6.6% of the inspected sites within all the agroecological zones of Ghana. This species is a good candidate as a biological control agent for fall armyworm in Africa. The predator that was most abundant (46.0%) and dispersed (3.8% of the farms) was P. megacephala.

Climate change and the growing demand for energy have prompted research on alternative eco-friendly energy sources. This study focused on the potential for biogas production from water hyacinth and banana peel waste through physicochemical characterization and batch anaerobic digestion tests. The water hyacinth and banana peel samples were dried, ground, and subjected to elemental, proximate, and fiber content analyses. Subsequently, banana peel waste, water hyacinth stems, and leaves were used for batch anaerobic digestion tests in 500 mL glass flask bottles for 21 days under mesophilic conditions in n = 3 trials. Kruskal–Wallis and Dunnett’s tests were performed to identify the significance of the differences in biogas yield among the samples. The analyses of the elemental, proximate, and fiber contents of water hyacinth and banana peels revealed that they possess a suitable chemical composition and essential nutrients for the production of high-yield biogas. The biogas yields from water hyacinth leaves, stems, and banana peels were 280.15, 324.79, and 334.82 mL/g VS, respectively. These findings indicate that water hyacinth and banana peel waste have significant potential for biogas production.

As part of the “Waste2Energy: hybrid energy from waste as a sustainable solution for West-Africa” project, a tyre recycling plant is being constructed in Davié, north of Lomé, Togo. Understanding the tyre management chain is crucial for establishing the plant’s supply chain. This study aimed to highlight the gaps in and the importance of tyre recycling in Togo while assessing the potential of EoL tyres for the implementation of a tyre recycling plant. Togo’s vehicle fleet, predominantly concentrated in Lomé, is rapidly increasing at a rate of 6% per year, reaching an estimated 285,000 vehicles. Due to economic constraints and limited new tyre availability, most vehicle users opt for used tyres, which have a limited lifespan due to poor road conditions. An investigation of EoL tyre quantities and management chains in Togo was carried out. To evaluate the used and end-of-life tyre management chains, both direct observation and interviews with approximately 200 used-tyre dealers were conducted. The study revealed that, on average, drivers replace tyres every 7.4 months, generating between 30,525 t/a and 78,000 t/a of used tyres, 75% of which are replaced due to severe damage or wear. While the used tyre business is well organized, end-of-life tyre treatment is nearly non-existent, often involving dumping, open burning for metal recovery, or use in meat processing, causing environmental and health risks. To address these challenges, an 8 t/hr capacity tyre recycling plant is planned, based on estimated tyre availability and development opportunities for sustainable recycling in Togo.

Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) , is a significant pest causing substantial economic losses worldwide, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalent strategy for managing FAW involves insecticide applications, ranging from synthetic to botanical and microbial agents. However, the ecological and economic impacts of these interventions often remain unassessed. This study scrutinizes the ecological and economic viability of two insecticidal treatments: one based on emamectin benzoate and another comprising a combination of Pieris rapae granulovirus (PrGV) and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Btk) with varied application timings and frequencies. Our findings indicate that both insecticide types were effective in reducing FAW larval populations and the associated crop damage. From an ecological standpoint, the PrGV|Btk treatment enhanced parasitism rates, especially when applied only at the early stage of the crop. However, this approach did not significantly lower crop damage compared to a "targeted" strategy, where insecticide application was contingent upon observed injury levels. Remarkably, the "targeted" strategy led to increased FAW larval parasitism, particularly at the V7 growth stage of the crop. Economically, the "targeted" insecticide application emerged as both effective and efficient, minimizing the need for multiple sprays and thus recommended for managing FAW infestations while considering cost and ecological balance.

There is an energy deficiency during the later stage of embryonic development, as the metabolic demands show an “explosive increase”. Vegetable oils are already used for in ovo feeding in poultry to provide energy for the embryos. What would be the effectiveness of animal oils used as alternative energy sources for the chicken embryo? To find out more, BSF larvae oil was used for in ovo feeding of the chicken embryo in this study. A total of 2300 Arbor Acres chicken eggs were used for incubation. On the tenth day of incubation, 2268 eggs were selected after candling and then divided into three groups for in ovo feeding in the yolk sac on the 11th, 14th, and 17th days of incubation. Each group was divided into seven lots, such as CON−, CON+, L0.1, L0.2, L0.3, L0.4, and L0.5. The CON− and CON+ were not injected. L0.1, L0.2, L0.3, L0.4, and L0.5 were pierced and then received the injection of 0.1 mL, 0.2 mL, 0.3 mL, 0.4 mL, and 0.5 mL of BSF maggot oil per egg, respectively. After hatching, 48 chicks from each lot of each group were housed in cages and then fed the same diet for six weeks. A better hatch rate and growth performance were observed for lots L0.1 and L0.2 compared to the other lots on the 14th and 17th days of incubation (p < 0.05). The injected lots showed reduced levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p < 0.05). The injection of 0.1 mL BSF maggot oil on the 17th day of incubation had 0% embryonic mortality and 100% hatching success. In conclusion, BSF larvae oil can be used as an energy source for in ovo injection, with a dose of 0.1 mL on the 17th day of incubation being most effective and recommended.