The Confederation of Sugar Producers Association (CONFED), together with the Philippine Sugar Research Institute (PHILSURIN), and the Negros Occidental Provincial Biosecurity Task Force for Agriculture held a forum on Monday, July 20, discuss RSSI infestation in Negros Island.
CONFED, in a press release Tuesday, said its association-members from Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental sent representatives to discuss how they can collaborate with LGUs in starting government-led interventions.
Attendees were advised to help their LGUs survey infestation, map them out within their city and town borders, and determine priority areas.
Members of the Provincial Task Force presented the Identification of Risk Areas as reported by the SRA showing land that are intensely affected versus those that have less infestation.
The latter will be treated with biological remedies, the press release said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Lacson committed to support biological protocols to address the infestation.
Meanwhile, SRA will be responsible for spraying severely infested areas with chemical solutions as provided for by the “Provincial Protocol for the implementation of Biological Control against RSSI, in Coordination with the SRA” issued by the Provincial Task Force.
Under the Guiding Principles, Sec. 3 in part says “The province adopts an integrated pest management strategy whereby: 1) Biological control shall be the preferred long term management strategy; 2) Chemical control will be in accordance with SRA, and when the threshold lowers, biological approach will be introduced.”
The Identification of Risk Areas will be regularly updated with the launching of a digital devise that will allow farmers to send reports of infestation in their respective farms direct to the Provincial Task Force, the press release said.
The digital app will be launched today, July 21. Thereafter, survey, mapping, and priority updates will be made available by the province every Thursday, it said.
The participants also asked the province through the Provincial Task Force to adopt proactive measures in preparation for the start of the milling and planting season. The measures should include quarantine protocols for canepoints and ramping up production capacity of biocontrol agents to fill the current gap, the press release said.*
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