FAO launches SusaHamra app in Jordan and strengthened capacities in the use of the system for monitoring red palm weevil in Near East countries and Gulf countries

The FAO-developed SusaHamra system powered by PlantVillage has been launched in Jordan as its official national red palm weevil monitoring application, becoming the second country after Tunisia to adopt the system for monitoring and surveying the pests in the affected areas.

SusaHamra includes a mobile application for collecting data from the field through visual inspection and checking pheromone traps, and a cloud platform for processing, analyzing, and mapping collected data.

“Red Palm weevil infections have increased steadily since the pest was first recorded in Jordan ten years ago. A comprehensive national strategy was formulated to halt the spread of the pest and limit its economic damage. The plan aims at using the available innovative technologies for early detection and control of RPW, working in collaboration with partners such as FAO and the private sector,” said Eng. Ayman Al-Oran, Assistant Secretary-General for Plant Wealth at the Ministry of Agriculture made the statement at the event.

Red palm weevil (RPW) is a key quarantine pest that threatens the date palm sustainable production and negatively impacts farmer livelihoods and the environment in Jordan and most Near East and North African countries. Date production is a major income contributor to Jordan’s agricultural sector, and the annual production of dates amounts to an estimated 33 000 tonnes.

Strengthening national capacities

Two separate regional training of trainers workshops were organized, under the framework of the RPW eradication “GCP /RNE/012/MUL programme, to enhance the skills of over 100 plant protection officers in monitoring RPW using standard protocols and SusaHamra. Participants were drawn from Near Eastern countries namely, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, and Gulf countries; Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The training sessions combined theoretical discussions and field visits conducted in date palm farms in Balqa, Jordan, and in Falaj Bani Rabi'ahfor, Al Suwayq, Oman, where participants carried out practical RPW visual inspection and trapping standard protocols as well as collecting and submitting field data using the SusaHamra mobile application.

Participants also learned data validation on the PlantVillage Platform and RPW platform utilization for mapping and analysis.

“SusaHamra app and the cloud platform mark a significant step forward in the fight against RPW and support countries and stakeholders in making informed management decisions. The new innovative system is addressing most of the gaps in the existing national monitoring systems,” Maged Elkahky, Assistant Team Lead for FAO’s Locusts and other Transboundary Plant Pests and Diseases told the participants.

Regional Fund to eradicate red palm weevil

The Red Palm Weevil poses a significant threat to about 40 palm species across over 50 countries, causing extensive damage to palm trees and other crops, thereby impacting production, farmers' livelihoods, and the environment.

FAO has developed the Regional Fund Program for the Eradication of RPW in the Near East and North Africa region (NENA), recognizing it as one of the most affected areas. This five-year project contributes to ongoing RPW eradication efforts and develops strategies, plans, tools, and technologies to assist countries in the region in sustainable RPW management. The program focuses on three main areas: research, capacity development, and knowledge and technology transfer.

Thaer Yaseen, FAO's Regional Plant Protection Officer for the Near East and North Africa emphasized that raising awareness, enhancing capacities, and facilitating coordination and information are the basic pillars of prevention, monitoring, and early warning strategies as well as sustainable management of the RPW. 

"We value the contributions of all participants, particularly Oman's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, and we look forward to achieving positive outcomes that will benefit the date palm sector in the region. This workshop underscores our commitment to fostering regional cooperation in combating and managing RPW, as part of our ongoing efforts to address the RPW and develop effective strategies to protect the health of palm trees," added Yaseen.

There was broad recognition that the risk of RPW cannot be addressed only at the national level and that its challenges must be addressed urgently at national, regional, and global levels. Also, enhanced solidarity and cooperation between countries and regions are required to harmonize the monitoring and control strategies.