Consul Mote Cohen of the Embassy of Israel at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Wednesday.*Richard Malihan photo
An Israeli agriculture expert is set to arrive in Negros Occidental next week to assist local efforts in combating the spread of the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI), a destructive pest plaguing sugarcane fields in the province.
Consul Mote Cohen of the Embassy of Israel, who was in the province on Wednesday, July 30, confirmed the expert’s visit.
The specialist will focus on finding a solution to the RSSI infestation, utilizing Israeli agricultural technology.
“Israel has very good agriculture technologies. Israel is sharing this technology with the Philippines next week,” Cohen said.
He added that Israel has previously extended assistance to Negros Occidental in the area of water technology, and continues to promote Israeli technologies across the Philippines.
Negros Occidental is currently under a state of calamity due to recent weather disturbances and the alarming outbreak of RSSI, which is described as a highly destructive and invasive pest affecting sugarcane crops.
A July 17 report from the Sugar Regulatory Administration indicated that the RSSI outbreak has already infested 2,931 hectares of sugarlands, adversely affecting 1,594 farmers in 116 barangays across 21 towns and cities in Negros Occidental.*