Israeli Agritech Company Takes on Devastating Agricultural Pests

An Israeli agritech company is helping farmers in Africa and Asia combat the devastating effects of fruit flies. Although small, the fruit fly wreaks havoc on farmers around the world and has the capacity to destroy 30–60% of a crop. Biofeed, which has two decades of experience in pest control, is working with mango growers in India and Togo to combat these damaging invaders. Biofeed’s founder, Nimrod Israely, is a former farmer who developed an environmentally-friendly and organic fly lure that harms the fruit flies without damaging the crop.

Following the success of trials on Mediterranean and olive fruit flies in Israel, Israely decided to tackle the oriental fruit fly, which has caused heavy damage to fields in Asia and Africa. The president of the African country Togo, Faure Gassing, asked Biofeed to help find a solution for the fruit flies that were destroying his country’s mango crop. Trial results demonstrated a reduction of infestation of close to 90%. Biofeed is also working with farmers in three Indian states, where it saw similar success rates, and has completed trials in Ethiopia and Senegal. The oriental fruit fly is common to 70 countries and affects 200 different crops.