A Biological Pest Control Program is Launched
Last week, we reported on the issue of the Asian bean thrip in Belize that has been affecting the grain industry. And today at the National Agriculture and Trade Show Grounds in Belmopan, the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA) through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise officially launched a Biological Pest Control Program. News Five was there and here’s a report.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security & Enterprise
“This opening of this lab allows us to do things in a different manner; a safer and healthier manner. The less insecticide we lose, the healthier our vegetables are, the safer for human consumption, hence I give this activity, this program great importance.”
Duane Moody, Reporting
The launch of a biological pest control program means the further development of the agricultural industry in Belize, bolstering food security. Through partnership with Mexico and OIRSA, the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health, two other biological controls have been acquired that will target insects, pests that have cost the industry millions of dollars in losses.
Francisco Gutierrez
Francisco Gutierrez, Acting Managing Director, BAHA
“What we are inaugurating is an extension of the past initiative for the pink hibiscus mealybug. The mealybug lab has been in operation for almost twenty years now producing a very specific natural enemy for the pink hibiscus mealybug. So recently, it was decided to try to expand into other lines of production for other organisms that also have an effect on a broader range of pests. Hence the reason we have now added on two subunits to produce parasitoid and a predatory which tend to be very generalistic.”
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority is responsible for finding options outside of pesticides for bio-safety in the agricultural industry. With the establishment of the regional laboratory for the reproduction of biological control agents, there are several successful tests that have been carried out. But will this help with the recently discovered Asian bean thrip?
Francisco Gutierrez
“The organisms that we are using have been proven to be very effective in the fields. However, yes, it is important to do some level of local trials. So some trials have been done in the field in beans against the current new pest and we have seen some very good biological activity there. One of the other organisms is being tried in cabbages in a farmer community on the Hummingbird [Highway] against a pest that affects cabagges, which is a larvae. And these very controlled trials have shown that yes indeed the two organisms live up to their name in terms of controlling these pests. It’s a matter now of scaling up production and making it available and starting to create the culture in farmers to start using these organisms.”
The strategy is expected to improve food security in Belize. Duane Moody for News Five.
