Palestinian strawberry growers welcome bugs to farms pilot project

[Sally]

I think if you didn't see groups like Hamas and others like them, you would see more cooperation between the Israelis and Palestinians.


Palestinian strawberry growers welcome bugs to farms pilot project

The growers visited the strawberry fields in the central Israeli moshavim Achituv and Geulim, to further examine the role of integrated pest management in the field.

PALESTINIAN FARMERS visit an Israeli strawberry field last Thursday to learn about using insects as biological pesticides. (photo credit:CIVIL ADMINISTRATION)



After years in which insects have been optimizing Israeli crop growth by serving as biological pesticides, the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria has begun to bring these same friendly bugs to West Bank Palestinian farmers.

Five Palestinian strawberry growers, from the Tulkarm and Jenin areas, are taking part in a pilot program to bring integrated pest management – the combined use of natural insect and chemical pesticides – to their strawberry plots.

By employing wasps to combat destructive aphids, farmers are able to increase the use of chemical pesticides by about 80 percent, strengthening consumer health and increasing the product value, according to the Civil Administration.

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Palestinian strawberry growers welcome bugs to farms pilot project?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Did their editor miss this, or this is correct?

"increase the use of chemical pesticides by about 80 percent"

I thought chemical pesticides were bad?