An Overview Of Our Solution
Antep Pistachio is the one of unique agricultural product in the region. Due to its characteristics, one year is high and the next year is low productivity. In this regard, it is very valuable in terms of economic and sustainable agriculture diversity. But there is a moth problem that threatens the trees every year especially during the glooming period. Current disinfestations methods result to sprinkle the flowers in the tree and cause fewer goods. This situation negatively affects farmers.
The Pheromone Trap Biotech Pest Control Method is the most effective method without any risk and it is completely protecting the pistachio trees. This product has female moth smell and it attracts male moths to the board and annihilates male moths. In this way, both pistachio trees and plant diversity are protected from harmful moths and other disinfestations methods.
Who is this solution impacting?
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: Asia
General Information
Organization type
Gouvernementale
Ecosystem (select all that apply)
Grasslands
Population impacted
6000
Challenge
Size of agricultural area
129,920ha
Production quantity
53.109ton
People employed
1000
Solution
Describe your solution
The Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality (GMM) Agricultural Services Department analyzed the feedbacks and concrete outputs from farmers about The Pheromone Trap Biotechnical Pest Control Method. According to obtained data, it is observed that positive achievements are obtained in terms of environmental, ecological and regional economy. Therefore, the number of 1000 farmers supported by (GMM) in 2016 was determined as 2000 farmers in 2017 due to intense demand. Besides, this method has changed the certain agricultural habits of Pistachio Producers. The farmers start to use more conscious methods of agricultural challenges. At the same time, it is observed that there is an increase on demands of food safety and sustainable agricultural methods. The Provincial Directorate of Agriculture has confirmed that the rugged terrain that is difficult to assess can be used by farmers for the cultivation of Pistachio. Thus, while less favorable areas of agriculture are being assessed, environmental and ecological damages will be eliminated. In addition, farmers will be more relieved than other agricultural pest control economically thanks to this method of agricultural. It is the fact that this method is not harmful to other plants and animals also contributes to biological cohesion and does not cause any negative effects on the product-harvest balance. Due to not using directly agricultural chemical for any product, the food safety of the products is also protected at the highest level.
Implementation
Describe your implementation
2000 products were purchased from Canada which is the only country producing The Pheromone Trap Biotechnology for the solution of the mentioned problems. As a result of the tangible data obtained from these methods, the purchase order was 4000 in 2017 and the number of implementing farmers was increased 100%. Special conferences and meetings have been organized for Pistachio producers to adapt the solution and change the habits of the farmers. The concrete data obtained from products has been shared ecological, environmental and economic gains have been explained to the all participants. It is explained to the farmers that how they can use nonarable terrain thus they were provided with a different perspective on their general agricultural habits. Within the scope of this project, 200ha of the current Pistachio terrains has been protected by The Pheromone Method. The data obtained from these areas has been compared with the previous year's agricultural method costs, product yield, man-hours spent in agricultural methods, and the level of knowledge about agricultural methods of farmers before and after the project. All these data set forth the conditions and areas of activity of The Pheromone Method to be implemented in 2017. The most significant factor obtained from this method is the change in pesticide habits of farmers. Every single farmer who adopts the new methods has begun to consider the economical contributions of this practice as well as its environmental and biological contributions. Farmers who know that water channels close to agricultural land are not chemically affected by this method and the farmers have started to use water resources there as a clean water source in daily work. While implementing this project. The biggest experienced problem was to overcome the prejudice of the farmers. Habitual agricultural methods of farmers and their confidence in their own experiences have been tried to overcome with the many activities, conferences and meetings.
External connections
This agricultural pest control method, which was carried into effect by (GMM) Agricultural Services Department, has been an example to some public and legal institutions/organizations and contributed to their support for this project. These institutions/organizations are; Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock - Antep Pistachio Research Institute, Provincial Chamber of Agricultural and 7 District Chambers of Agricultural and 1000 farmers who are registered within this chambers. The pest control method which is preferred for pistachio trees, also contributes indirectly to the areas such as husbandry, tree and forest industry. For example; Pheromone Method was used in order to fight against moth which only damaging Pistachio trees. In this region where Pistachio is cultivated and at the same time the activities such as beekeeping are still ongoing in the region and there is no such damage to the bees. Furthermore, there was no danger to other flying creatures (such as butterflies, birds, etc.) Also, the biological diversity of the plants, especially the bees that the bees have pollinated, has not been exposed to any negative situation. The plants and forest areas in the region have not been exposed to any volatile agricultural chemicals thanks to this project. As a general expression of all of these, there were serious steps which have been taken for the farmers to pass permanent solutions through the methods of de factor agricultural practices.
Results
What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?
Most of the agricultural methods used in plants can threaten the life of another plant or organism. For this reason, it is important that the agricultural methods must be environmentally and ecologically. The Pheromone Trap Biotech Fighting Method is one of the better agricultural pest control. The main benefits of this biotechnical fighting are; being environmentally friendly, not causing any ruin problems, having long term lasting effect, being user-friendly, being suitable for organic agriculture, high adaptability to the integrated combat strategy, being able to prepare certain methods and products under simple operating conditions, not needing complex machines for the implementation, ease to store and transport and reusability. In addition to this, the water and other plant organisms are not chemically affected by this agricultural method.
Describe the context in which you are operating
The Pheromone Trap Biotech Fighting Method was used as a pilot scheme total of 2000 for 1000 farmers in 7 provinces in 2016. Since the pesticide is not directly supplied to the plant, this method is very important in terms of food safety. 53% of agricultural land is used in Gaziantep city and it is 359.243 hectare. According to 2015 data, 129.920 hectare of agricultural land is used for Antep pistachio production. The total number of Antep Pistachio Tree is 19.987.878, and the number of trees giving fruit is 16,412,510. The production of Antep Pistachio is 53.109 tons in 2015. According to official records, the estimated number of farmers producing this crop is 6,000. These figures have had a positive impact both in terms of social and regional aspects after pilot implementation. For this reason, the number of farmers, who want to apply this method, increased 100% and reached 2000 farmers by 2017. The contribution to the cleanliness of the region's water resources is also very valuable in terms of sustainable environmental factors; it also contributes to sustainable regional development and regional economy.
How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?
The most important point of the Pheromone Trap Biotech Fighting Method is the contribution of the region in to the biological diversity. Previously preferred methods of agricultural pest control had a negative impact on biological diversity in the region. Liquid spray applications directly caused all kind of plants to be dried out and even to be disappeared due to these spraying applications directly penetrated to the plants. Moreover, the irrigation channels in the nearby area were adversely affected in the same way, these water channels might become ineffective when it is given to other agricultural products. It has been observed that these kind of problems have been prevented with this agricultural method as a result of environmental quantity survey done by Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. the ecosystem balance has become locally healthier thanks to this agricultural method which protects both plants and animals.
Language(s)
Turkish, English
Water
Before the Pheromone Trap Biotechnical Pest Control Method, spraying agricultural pest control methods caused the accumulation of chemicals in the water basins and channels in the terrain where Antep Pistachio planting is common. This spraying method was negatively affecting the animals and plants while irrigation. Thanks to the Pheromone Trap Method, all the water basins and channels in the vicinity of Antep Pistachio planting areas are free from agricultural pest control.
Food Security/Nutrition
Before the Pheromone Trap Biotechnical Pest Control Method, specially spraying agricultural pest control method was negatively affecting other agricultural products which are close to Antep Pistachio planting terrain. This unintentional situation puts food and nutritional safety in danger. In addition, the presence of agricultural chemical residues on the pistachio was threatening food and nutritional safety. Pheromone Trap Method has contributed to the elimination of existing problems.
Economic/Sustainable Development
The pesticides which are used to protect Antep Pistachio from the moths, have a serious economic burdens on farmers. In addition, these methods are a successive short-term protection method. Pheromone Trap Biotech Pest Control Method is long-term and economically more convenient solution As a result, there has been a significant increase in the sustainable crop productivity and sustainable development status of the farmers.
Climate
Agricultural pest control methods were causing an increase of toxic gas emissions & these methods were negatively effecting the fight against climate change. When moths dry out Antep Pistachio trees, they cannot reduce the carbon emissions in the air. Preferring the Pheromone Trap, the toxic gas emission in the atmosphere has been avoided. Also, Antep pistachio trees, recovered from moths, continue their carbon emission as it is normal capacity level.
Sustainability
The cost of preferred pheromone traps method and the effects on the products have helped farmers to obtain economically positive results. This method of agricultural pest control can be used for a longer period of time and thus it is possible to achieve a sustained economic contribution. The fact that this product is imported from Canada and it is provided by (GMM) Agricultural Services Department. Any products brought in for this product, including 2018, will not be charged from farmers and it municipality's own resources will be used. However, in 2019, a certain amount of contribution from the farmers will be requested for the establishment of the products. Thus, this will be the continuation of the economic sustainability of the project.
Return on investment
2000 Pheromones and 2000 Delta Traps distributed in 2016 is 62776TL which equals 17028USD (Ref: CENTRAL BANK OF TURKEY http://www.tcmb.gov.tr/wps/wcm/connect/tcmb+en/tcmb+en). Pheromone Method which is used for Pistachio trees is a unique agricultural pest method licensed by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. There is no other licensed pesticide available for pistachio trees, farmers use at least 3 pesticide-blended products which they rely on the guidance of their agricultural engineers or their own experience. Therefore, the cost of man / hour, agricultural products and etc. used in disinfestations differ by approximately 90%-100% if it is compared to Pheromone Method. Hence, cost of 200ha pilot area increases up to 34000 USD.
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Replication and Scale
How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?
The motherland of Antep pistachio is the Front Asia & especially Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Region. 53% of total agricultural land is in the Gaziantep region and it is 359.243 hectares. According to the data of 2015, 129,920 hectares of agricultural land are used for pistachio production. According to the data of 2015, 129,920 hectares of agricultural land are used for pistachio production. The production of Pistachio in 2015 is 53,109 tons. Considering all these figures, the Pheromone Trap Method can be used in a very wide terrain. It can contribute to the all of the biological diversity & ecology. For this reason, the 200 hectare Pistachio area, which is preferred in 2016, has been increased up to 400 hectare in 2017 and this ratio continues to increase every year. The development & dissemination activities of this method, meetings, conferences and exhibitions will be provided to the Antep Pistachio Producers & the target will be last available point