Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

print

share

Levan Davitashvili met with the world’s leading entomologists

The world’s leading entomologists pay a visit to Georgia to get familiar with Georgia's experience and results of the fight taken against the Asian stink bug. The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Levan Davitashvili met scientists at the Coordination Management Center in Abasha Municipality, where measures and activities implemented by Georgian Government to combat the invasive pest was presented by Minister.

“Georgia has gained a valuable experience and made positive progress in combating brown marmorated stink bug, which arises interest of world’s leading scientists. Moreover, it’s worth mentioning, that we actively cooperate with world’s greatest scientists and entomologists, since we first started implementing actions against the invasive crop pest. The pest control measures will be continued till the end of the year. Farmers engagement in the process is of utmost importance to minimize and reduce the pest population before winter arrives ” Levan Davitashvili said.

However, with the support of the US Government, successful policy implementation and consistent actions, strengthening the technical capacities and active involvement of scientific circles, Georgia has achieved tangible positive results in the fight against the invasive pest within three years. The number of pests is significantly reduced, which definitely helps to avoid the expected economic loss in the country.

The Head of the Scientific Mission, Bill Lingren noted, that coordinated work between the state, private sector and international donor organizations has significantly contributed  to Georgia to achieve positive results in the fight against the Asian stink bug.

 “Georgia has achieved an incredible results in 18 months. Since 2017, Georgian side has started implementing pest control measures and mobilized resources in an incredibly short time. All tools and methods were used and explored thoroughly, which resulted in visible outcomes. We may boldly say, that Georgia's experience in this regard is exemplary  to other countries as well ”said Bill Lingren.

During the meeting, the world’s leading entomologists got acquainted with the activities of the management center and examined the specialized technique.
The Chairman of the Agrarian Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia,  Otar Danelia, Head of the National Food Agency, Zurab Chekurashvili, Governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, Alexandre Motserelia and representatives of local authorities attended the meeting.

With the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Leading scholars and scientists from three US universities, Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, also scientists from Europe and Australia pay a visit to west side of Georgia to get closely acquainted with the pest control measures and current situation in Guria, Samegrelo and Adjara regions and hold meetings with farmers.
Under the frame of the scientific mission, the conference will be held to provide a good opportunity for active communication and cooperation between the foreign scientists, Government of Georgia and representatives of the scientific circles. The specialists from the countries of the Black Sea region will attend the conference.

In 2018 the United States and Georgia started cooperation under the frame of the first mission visit of the American side to Georgia, which was organized by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), USAID/Georgia's Restoring Efficiency to Agriculture Production (REAP) Program, International Organization CNFA and a leading American producer of insect pheromone- and kairomone-based products Trécé Inc.