With the Carambola Fruit Fly (CFF) posing a threat to exports of fruits and vegetables to key markets, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has been intensifying its efforts to control the spread of the pest in regions Six, Eight and Nine.
In a press release issued yesterday on its work, NAREI said Plant Protection Officers have been monitoring, replacing and setting new traps during outreaches over the past four weeks under its CFF programme, which is being implemented with the help of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
The main objectives of the recent outreaches, NAREI explained, were to ascertain through surveys and monitoring activities the status of the pest and to initiate control and eradication activities where present, especially within the hinterland communities bordering Guyana and Brazil.
Orealla/Siparuta, in Region Six; Mahdia, Bamboo Creek, Kanapang and surrounding satellite communities, in Region Eight; and Lethem and surrounding communities in the North and South Rupununi, in Region Nine were identified as those areas that benefitted.
According to Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NAREI Brian Sears, the CFF is of “quarantine importance” and hinders Guyana’s ability to export certain fresh fruits and vegetables to the North American and European markets.
“Of the regions visited, Region Eight had an alarming high population of the CFF… Of the sites visited, more than 65 per cent of the traps were missing…They were replaced, and those that were found were badly damaged…,” he was further quoted as saying by NAREI.
Sears said another area of concern is Orealla, where 22 traps that were set for monitoring purposes recorded an extremely high B. carambolae population. Over 4,000 male fruit flies were captured and four of the traps that were missing were also replaced.
According to Sears, public awareness sessions were conducted within all communities to ensure residents were informed about the harm the pest could have on agriculture and the economy. Villagers were also encouraged to participate and assist NAREI’s Extension staff, especially those working within the affected areas. Additionally, key community leaders and pilot farmers were trained to ensure continuation and sustainability of the programme.
NAREI said the national CFF Programme will be complemented by a regional programme that will include countries such as Brazil and Suriname. It noted that this is important as control and eradication would only be possible if all the countries affected work together to implement similar and simultaneous procedures that could bring about the desired results.
The release also disclosed that NAREI will receive a dedicated budget annually that will be supported by partners such as IICA to support similar activities.
