Strengthening Defences: A Path Forward for Bacterial Leaf Blight Management in East and Southern African Rice Production

ABSTRACT Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), has recently emerged as a critical threat to rice production in East and Southern Africa (ESA). Since 2019, confirmed outbreaks in Tanzania and Madagascar, and more recently, signs of the disease in Kenya and Uganda, have exposed vulnerabilities within the region's rice sector. Despite these developments, published data from ESA remain extremely limited, with only a handful of confirmed reports and scarce molecular characterization beyond Tanzania and Madagascar. This Perspective consolidates the current evidence on the expansion of BLB, reveals critical gaps in research and management and proposes a comprehensive seven‐pillar management framework. Building long‐term resilience against BLB in ESA will require a unified, science‐driven approach that integrates innovative methods with proven practices and effective policy support. Success will also depend on merging traditional and scientific knowledge with forward‐thinking research and coordinated policy development. Moreover, leveraging historical data, adopting advanced analytics and using modern technologies, such as early detection sensors, digital advisory services and real‐time pathogen tracking, could empower smallholder farmers and improve regional response capacities.