**1. Introduction**

The red palm weevil (RPW) *Rhynchophorus ferrugineus* (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) also known as the Asian palm weevil is an invasive key pest of palms (Arecaceae) in diverse agro-ecosystems the world over. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN has designated RPW as a category-1 pest in the Middle East and North Africa (NENA region), where it is a threat to the livelihood security of date palm farmers in rural communities [1]. During March 2017, FAO organized a 'Scientific and High-Level Meeting on the Management of RPW' and through 'Rome Declaration' called for the urgent need to combat RPW by collaborative efforts and commitments at the country, regional and global levels to stop the spread of this devastating pest. The pest has its home in South and South East Asia, where it is a key pest of coconut, *Cocos nucifera.* The cryptic behaviour and the intrinsic biological traits of the weevil have made it difficult to detect and therefore difficult to manage. Now, there are so many gaps and challenges in the components of RPW management strategies. These include early detection of the weevil infestation, limitation of its biological control agents under field conditions and lack of farmers' participation in the control operations [2]. The aim of this chapter is to give a consolidated information on gaps and challenges in current RPW management as well as future prospects.
