This week, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock issued guideline to establish the “Ministerial Action Plan for the Integrated Management of Stubble, Wastes, or Vegetable or Animal Residues” and the guidelines for the attention of pineapple crops.
Both instruments require compulsory compliance for the institutions of the agricultural sector involved in this process, such as the Agricultural Extension Service of the MAG, the State Phytosanitary Service, the Animal Health Service, and the National Institute of Innovation and Transfer in Agricultural Technology.
With the signing of this directive we seek that the articulated work between institutions guarantee farmers and ranchers good agricultural practices on their farms and the proper management of by-products, which will promote the protection of animal health and welfare,”
said Minister Renato Alvarado.
To implement this plan, regional technical working groups will be formed in order to provide comprehensive monitoring and intervention to the farms affected by the Stable Fly, in the most vulnerable regions such as Huetar Norte, Caribe, Brunca, and Central Oriental.
In addition, the workers must perform monitoring, inspection, and field surveillance in order to verify that the farms have an adequate management plan of stubble, to ensure effective pest control, and prevent the proliferation of stable flies. In case of any anomaly or complaint, the respective sanctions and sanitary orders must be applied and complied with.
Furthermore, research will be conducted through INTA to allow an integral management of agricultural stubbles, using methods of biological, ethological, cultural, and chemical control to prevent the development of pests and develop an early warning system against the stable fly.
Through the guidelines the MAG will form a Regional Team of integral attention to the cultivation of pineapple, with the contribution of Extension officials of the MAG and the SFE and the accompaniment of regionalized officials of the INTA that will make a Phytosanitary Management of the Cultivation with follow-up to problems such as pests, weeds and diseases, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Good Agricultural Practices, and voluntary certification in BPA of the SFE.
These are the goals they expect to achieve with the guidelines:
-Reduce pest interceptions of the exported product.
-Mitigate the effects of pesticides on the environment, through an integral management of the crop, MIP and BPA.
-Residual Management Plan for Agrochemicals in soil associated with agricultural activities.
-Dynamic database with information on all pineapple plantations, packaging plants, and traders in real time through the use of applications on mobile devices.
-Monitor the areas of pineapple crops in the Huetar Norte and Huetar Caribe regions through the use of satellite images or drones.
-Continuous and updated integral training program for MAG producers, entrepreneurs, marketers, professionals, and technicians.
-Comprehensive technical assistance program and continuous monitoring to verify and control in the field, phytosanitary conditions, safety, and management of the environment of pineapple plantations, according to risk levels.
-Appropriate sustainable techniques for pest management of pineapple crops.
-Early Pest Alert System through an App on mobile devices.