Cairo/Suhag, Egypt - Experts from the International centre of insect physiology and ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya visited the laboratories of plant protection research institute, agriculture research centre in Giza and Suhag to assess the capabilities of the laboratories and identify the need for upgrading and improve the production system of natural enemies and biopesticides.

The experts were invited by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation “FAO” in the framework of strengthen the Egyptian national capacity to manage the spread of Fall Armyworm “FAW” in the south of Egypt.

FAO has advocated the use of environmental-friendly tools against FAW, and reduce the reliance on synthetized pesticides that may cause adverse effect on environment, food safety and may induce upsurge of pest strains that are resistant to pesticides.

“This visit is performed within the strategic plan developed by FAO to assist countries affected by Fall Armyworm, which aim to strengthen the national capacitates in terms of pest monitoring, early warning and management of the pest using environmental-friendly and safe approached like the biological control, which depends on utilizing living organisms that attack and kill the harmful pests” said Thaer Yaseen, Plant protection officer in FAO regional office for Near East and North Africa.

Experts from the regional office of FAO has accompanied the icipe experts in the visit to biological control department, biopesticide laboratory in Giza and biological control laboratory in Suhag.

FAO has provided emergency support to the Egyptian government since the official reporting of the pest in May 2019 in south of Egypt. The emergency support was in the form of four training workshop to pest control specialists, in addition to establishment of monitoring and early warning system using pheromone tarps. Also, FAO has launched new emergency project in February 2020 aim to train more specialists and development of awareness complain to help farmers to understand the risk of FAW and take efficient actions to reduce the potential damage.

The Egyptian ministry of Agriculture has wide network of national laboratories in many governorates to produce biocontrol agents. Although that, most of the laboratories are outdated and require refurbishing, equipment upgrading and training of staff on the modern approaches for mass-production and release of biocontrol agents.