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

Preparing for the fight against the Asian stink bug in Abasha Municipality

Minister got acquainted with the preparations for the fight against the Asian stink bug in Abasha Municipality.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Otar Shamugia accompanied by the State Representative in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, Giorgi Guguchia got familiar with the preparations for the fight against the Asian stink bugs.
Mr. Zurab Lipartia, Deputy Head of the National Food Agency briefed the Minister about the planned activities. Mr. Otar Shamugia and the state representative inspected the specialized equipment allocated in the center. The officials held a meeting at the Coordination Management Center for the Fight against the Asian stink bug in Abasha Municipality.
 
"We are planning to take large-scale measures to fight the brown marmorated stink bug in 2022. I would like to address our farmers and ask them to be actively involved in this process. We have been able to make a significant breakthrough in the process, resulting in the reduction in the number of pests through cooperating with our farmers. Although, along with the state efforts, it is crucial for farmers to be active this year as well. With their involvement, we will reduce the damage to the greatest degree possible," Mr. Otar Shamugia said.
 
According to the Deputy Chairman of the National Food Agency, Mr. Zurab Lipartia, the fight against the stink bug consists of two stages. Monitoring is carried out in different municipalities of Western Georgia, on the basis of the analysis of the results, the right time to start the chemical treatment of land areas and take control measures against the invasive pests will be planned. 
 
Up to 250 units of equipment and machinery have been organized within the framework of the state program for the fight against the stink bug. This year, GEL 31 million is allocated in the state budget under the program.

The Measures and activities against the brown marmorated stink bug have been carried out since 2017. With the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Food Agency has enhanced its technical capacity. As a result of the measures implemented since 2017, both the number of pests and the size of the land areas intended for chemical treatment have been reduced; If in 2018, pest control measures covered 790,000 hectares, in 2021, the size of arable land includes 186,000 hectares. It should be noted, that the use of the special station technology for pest control is crucial to reducing pesticide contamination (and the harm it causes) in the environment.