총 619페이지
80페이지 본문시작
Furthermore, it is the Rwanda Defence Force-affiliated company Sopyrwa that had produced the
Pyrethrum EWC+ pesticide, which was later used to mitigate the FAW invasion in Rwanda.
Following the official visit, Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage, during one of his
area development meetings held in his constituency last week, assured that the officials only arrived
to share their technical know-how and did not have the pesticide in tow with them, nor had such
a chemical been distributed to the farmers during their field visits in Anuradhapura.
No discussion following Rwandan visit
The Sunday Morning contacted Sri Lanka Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva to inquire
whether there was any discussion following the Rwandan Defence Force officials fact-finding visit.
“We are yet to have further discussions based on the facts they observed. I can assure you that
we have not taken any initiative to bring down the pesticide that is used in Rwanda as well. A
meeting will be held in due course regarding this with the Ministry of Agriculture officials. We will
not intervene in the pest management that the Department of Agriculture already has in place.”
Dept. of Agriculture not consulted
When the Sunday Morning contacted Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. W.M.W.
Weerakoon to inquire whether any decision was reached regarding seeking assistance from Rwanda
or following the same pest control method they had employed, we were informed that Dr.
Weerakoon was only invited for the presentation and was not part of the discussions that took
place between the defence officials thereafter.
“I am not in a position to respond as I was not briefed on the points that were discussed nor was
I consulted as to whether Sri Lanka could employ the same method of pest management as
Rwanda. Moreover, following their field visit, the Rwandan delegation did not share any of the facts
they uncovered with our Department. However, it is said that the team briefed the Army
Commander during their courtesy meeting,” Dr. Weerakoon explained.
Since the FAW invasion was detected in the country in 2018, it was the Horticultural Crop Research
and Development Institute (HORDI) that conducted studies and formulated the integrated pest
control method that is currently in use to address the FAW issue.
However, HORDI experts too had not been consulted regarding importing the technical know-how
or a pesticide to tackle the FAW invasion.
HORDI Principal Scientist ? Entomology Senani Weligamage, when inquired by The Sunday Morning
on how effective a pyrethrins-based pesticide could be when applied to Sri Lanka’s maize
cultivations, said: “The pesticide includes pyrethrins which is a refined extract of pyrethrum and is
toxic not only for the Fall armyworm caterpillar, but would also destroy arthropods, bees, and other
insects that are beneficial to the growth of a plant and to keep the soil fertile. This type of
pesticide should never be administered on a mass scale, and is only recommended to be applied
in isolated localities if required.”
FAW here to stay
Additionally, Weligamage explained that since the FAW invasion is already settled in Sri Lanka,
quick-fix pest control methods will not be the most effective, adding that an integrated pest
control method should be employed.
“In the case of using pyrethrins, all insects that come into contact with it can ingest the pesticide
through contact or by consuming the leaves that the pesticide has been sprayed on (stomach
poisoning). Therefore, if you take a bee that is going to help with the pollination process, it too
could die if it comes in contact with pollen that has the pesticide sprayed on. That will in return
threaten the biodiversity of the country,” Weligamage stressed.
Even Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources at the time, Gerardine Mukeshimana
had said: “Most of the farmers have learnt how to deal with it by collecting and destroying
caterpillars and young moths as well as by spraying pesticide on the infected maize. But, the Fall
armyworm is still a threat. We need farmers to be prepared to fight it early enough before it
wreaks havoc.”
In March 2018, the Rwandan Government, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), launched a campaign to install pheromone traps to catch
moths, which Sri Lanka currently employs as part of the integrated pest control solution that is in
- 80 -
Pyrethrum EWC+ pesticide, which was later used to mitigate the FAW invasion in Rwanda.
Following the official visit, Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage, during one of his
area development meetings held in his constituency last week, assured that the officials only arrived
to share their technical know-how and did not have the pesticide in tow with them, nor had such
a chemical been distributed to the farmers during their field visits in Anuradhapura.
No discussion following Rwandan visit
The Sunday Morning contacted Sri Lanka Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva to inquire
whether there was any discussion following the Rwandan Defence Force officials fact-finding visit.
“We are yet to have further discussions based on the facts they observed. I can assure you that
we have not taken any initiative to bring down the pesticide that is used in Rwanda as well. A
meeting will be held in due course regarding this with the Ministry of Agriculture officials. We will
not intervene in the pest management that the Department of Agriculture already has in place.”
Dept. of Agriculture not consulted
When the Sunday Morning contacted Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. W.M.W.
Weerakoon to inquire whether any decision was reached regarding seeking assistance from Rwanda
or following the same pest control method they had employed, we were informed that Dr.
Weerakoon was only invited for the presentation and was not part of the discussions that took
place between the defence officials thereafter.
“I am not in a position to respond as I was not briefed on the points that were discussed nor was
I consulted as to whether Sri Lanka could employ the same method of pest management as
Rwanda. Moreover, following their field visit, the Rwandan delegation did not share any of the facts
they uncovered with our Department. However, it is said that the team briefed the Army
Commander during their courtesy meeting,” Dr. Weerakoon explained.
Since the FAW invasion was detected in the country in 2018, it was the Horticultural Crop Research
and Development Institute (HORDI) that conducted studies and formulated the integrated pest
control method that is currently in use to address the FAW issue.
However, HORDI experts too had not been consulted regarding importing the technical know-how
or a pesticide to tackle the FAW invasion.
HORDI Principal Scientist ? Entomology Senani Weligamage, when inquired by The Sunday Morning
on how effective a pyrethrins-based pesticide could be when applied to Sri Lanka’s maize
cultivations, said: “The pesticide includes pyrethrins which is a refined extract of pyrethrum and is
toxic not only for the Fall armyworm caterpillar, but would also destroy arthropods, bees, and other
insects that are beneficial to the growth of a plant and to keep the soil fertile. This type of
pesticide should never be administered on a mass scale, and is only recommended to be applied
in isolated localities if required.”
FAW here to stay
Additionally, Weligamage explained that since the FAW invasion is already settled in Sri Lanka,
quick-fix pest control methods will not be the most effective, adding that an integrated pest
control method should be employed.
“In the case of using pyrethrins, all insects that come into contact with it can ingest the pesticide
through contact or by consuming the leaves that the pesticide has been sprayed on (stomach
poisoning). Therefore, if you take a bee that is going to help with the pollination process, it too
could die if it comes in contact with pollen that has the pesticide sprayed on. That will in return
threaten the biodiversity of the country,” Weligamage stressed.
Even Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources at the time, Gerardine Mukeshimana
had said: “Most of the farmers have learnt how to deal with it by collecting and destroying
caterpillars and young moths as well as by spraying pesticide on the infected maize. But, the Fall
armyworm is still a threat. We need farmers to be prepared to fight it early enough before it
wreaks havoc.”
In March 2018, the Rwandan Government, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), launched a campaign to install pheromone traps to catch
moths, which Sri Lanka currently employs as part of the integrated pest control solution that is in
- 80 -
80페이지 본문끝
메뉴
현재 포커스의 아래내용들은 동일한 컨텐츠를 가지고 페이지넘김 효과및 시각적 효과를 제공하는 페이지이므로 스크린리더 사용자는 여기까지만 낭독하시고 위의 페이지이동 링크를 사용하여 다음페이지로 이동하시기 바랍니다.