FAO take steps to curb Red Palm Weevil in Iran

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has taken positive step towards curbing the spread of red palm weevil (RPW), a highly destructive transboundary pest that can cause serious damage to date palm trees, leading to the death of the infested trees.

The outbreak and uncontrolled spread of the RPW pose a significant threat to the country's date palm trees industry and the livelihood of farmers who depend on it for income.

The FAO's recent response to the governmental request to assess the situation and advise on solutions is a positive step towards curbing the spread of this destructive transboundary pest.

Dispatching two international experts to infested areas in Fares and Kerman Provinces have helped to assess the current situation and highlighted the need to bolster the current efforts to control the pest. This can be achieved by enhancing monitoring and preventive efforts, improving the country's Red Palm Weevil strategy to increase its effectiveness, and working closely to improve the use of the FAO-developed application “SusaHamra”.  

The FAO's experts have evaluated the current integrated pest management strategy and identified possible improvements in the system. They have also met with relevant stakeholders and private sector entities involved in date production to develop solutions that would reduce the impact on date production. A proposal for an action plan has been developed by FAO and will be shared with the Plant Protection Organization of Iran for implementation.  

Early response and effective management of resources can help avoid potential outbreaks and minimize the impact of the Red Palm Weevil on the country's date palm trees, relevant food industries and the livelihood of relevant farmers. It is crucial to continue efforts to address this issue and ensure the sustainability of Iran's date production industry particularly since it is ranked as the third producer of dates in the world.