Insect Pest Control

We assist FAO and IAEA Member States in the implementation of environmentally-friendly and sustainable methods to control major insect pests of crops and veterinary and human importance through strategic and applied research, technology transfer, capacity building, policy advice, and information management.

Our efforts focus on an area-wide integrated pest management approach, by the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT), to enhance food security, introduce sustainable agricultural systems, reduce losses and pesticide use, preserve biological diversity, and facilitate international trade in food and agricultural commodities by promoting the development and application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards.

Highlights
Better Fruit For Neretva Valley. Farmers in Croatia are using nuclear technology to tackle the Mediterranean fruit fly, a common pest that poses a serious threat to the country's lucrative fruit industry. With the support of the IAEA and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Croatia is implementing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Full Story »
Technical leaflet released in three languages on the discrimination between two invasive Bactrocera fruit fly pests. During the 2nd International TEAM Meeting (Tepthritid Workers of Europe, Africa and the Middle East) in Kolymbari, Crete, Greece (see page 128 of the abstract book at www.teamfly2012.com), Salah, Abdelgader and Villiers reported that in July 2011, the invasive fruit fly pest Bactrocera zonata was recorded for the first time in Sudan from traps in three locations in Wad Medani, Gezira, Sudan. As this is a region where another methyl eugenol responding fruit fly pest already exists (B. invadens) and to help Sudan and other African countries to discriminate among these two invasive pest species, a technical leaflet in Arabic, English and French was prepared to help with differentiation between specimen of B. invadens and B. zonata. It was prepared by Marc De Meyer (Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium) and Ian White (Natural History Museum, UK) and has been distributed electronically to the African participants of the TEAM meeting.
Joining Forces in the Fight Against Dengue Fever. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is currently taking the initiative for a sustained cooperation with the IAEA to promote the contribution of nuclear science and technology for the management of vector-borne diseases - in particular dengue fever. Therefore a workshop with international experts was held at the IAEA to discuss the integrated control of Aedes aegypti mosquito, the carrier of the dengue virus. Full Story »