On March 11-14, 2019, an International Conference was held in Tbilisi, organized by Food National Agency which was dedicated to Phito - sanitari methods of fight against Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. The researchers from 26 countries (Asia, US, Russia, Australia) including Georgia participated in the work of the Conference.
From the Academy of Agricultural Sciences the President of GAAS, Academician G. Aleksidze was invited to the Conference, also Academicians J. Gugushvili, and G. Margvelashvili, and Scientific Secretary M. Barvenashvili.
Levan Davitashvili, the Minister of Agriculture greeted the participants with introductory speech. He stated that the Government of Georgia is actively involved in the measures taken against the Bug which is a big challenge for agriculture of the country.
The Conference discussed different activities and methods applied by Georgian researchers with active participation of the Ministry of Agriculture against the bug. The Document worked out by the Conference on the problem will be further discussed by UN Commission on Food and Agriculture phyto- sanitary measures.
The Conference participants learned about the experience accumulated during the fight against the bug: about 790 000 hectares of agricultural land was processed in 27 municipalities in 523 villages in the following regions: Ajara, Samegrelo, Guria, Imereti.
The program 2019 of fight against the bug was based on 2017-18 year experience and the recommendations of leading Georgian and foreign researchers.
The aim of the program is to protect agricultural product and diminish economic losses. Four major directions in the fight against the bug were underlined.
1. Promotion of active information company to increase population awareness around the problem;
2. Monitoring the territory of spread of the bug and population increase;
3. Control measures –medical treatment against the vermin;
4. Scientific- research activities: study of the biology, reveal of biological predators, and identification of effective biological treatment against the bug.
Within the program, effective measures of fight against hazelnut was discussed. Also the Government will deliver technical means to hazelnut producers to continue effectively a long term fight against the bug.
Besides the Georgian Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, local government bodies and non-governmental organizations are also involved in the process.
International Conference was held with active support of European Institutional Development Program (CIB).