Pest Control Initiative

CBDN's “joint pest control initiative” addresses the problem of Fall Feb Worm (Hyphantria cunea) that is becoming epidemic in the regions adjacent to Ingur/i and beyond. The fall webworm is a deciduous and very polyphagous (i.e. feeds on almost any type of plant) insect that has had an increasingly serious impact on the local populations’ livelihoods through destroying crops.

The idea of the initiative arose during one of the CBDN meetings in early 2007 as a result of the problems connected with fall webworm expansion in the Gal/i, Ochamchira and Zugdidi regions.  The analysis of the situation showed the impact it has on livelihoods: the defoliation caused by fall webworm caterpillars weakens the plants, and the repeated damage leads to the death of the plants - with the 20 percent of leaves’ damage, crops drop to 15-20 percent; with the 50 percent decrease, to 50-55 percent; and with the 75 percent of the leaves damage, there is basically no crop.

with TF-35 thermal fog generator

Understanding the vitality of finding ways to control and limit its spread to protect the livelihoods, CBDN started its joint pest control initiative.

The first stages of the work, which consisted of recruiting experts who would teach volunteers on how to combat the pest, immediately started the same year. The active phase of the work began in 2008. The TF-35 thermal fog generators were purchased from Turkey and as a result of the action, fall webworm fell by more than 30 percent.

Today, CBDN intensifies its pest control initiative by recruiting more volunteers, purchasing new equipments, protective clothes and pesticides. The initiative also aims at the publication and distribution of awareness raising materials about the problem and how to best address it – through articles in local press and production of own materials.

Informational BillBoard at the centre of Khurcha

The 2009-2010 phases of the initiative has been generously financed by the Instrument for Stability of the European Union.