Development and establishment of new protein bait for fruit flies that would directly and positively impact the economic and physical well being of rural communities

Why protein bait?

The ICMPFF, Griffith University in Australia has developed an environmental friendly protein bait that controls field infestation of fruit flies without the need to rely on highly toxic pesticides. The protein bait can be produced from spend brewery yeast available locally in most countries. Locally produced protein bait will be cheaper then imported products, hence will help rural communities to save cost on fruit flies control programmes. The promotion of protein bait through spot spray technique, and its full adoption by the rural communities and fruits producers will benefit the countries in reducing the harmful effect of pesticides to the operators and the environments through cover spray application. Furthermore the adoption of protein bait will also provide a safer alternative disposal method of the spent brewery yeast waste.

ICMPFF, Griffith University, Australia will facilitate the construction of infrastructure for the production of the protein baits at a much lower cost, affordable by farmers and a workable mechanism for long term sustainability and continuous supply of protein bait.

The protein bait will be promoted for:

• Quarantine surveillance programmes
• Field pest management for fruits and fruity vegetables
• Area wide control and eradication of new incursion

Advantages of protein bait

• The usage of protein bait through spot spraying application will help reduce pesticides usage. It is environmentally friendly, also avoids the undesirable side effects often experienced with insecticides sprays such as risks to operators and harmful residues in crops. (Spray applications of protein bait can be directed on to foliage and away from fruit to minimise fruit residue problems)
• It is more cost effective then insecticide cover spray. Costs are considerably lower as less material is used per tree or per hectare.  In addition, spot spraying is less time consuming than for cover spraying and therefore less demanding of labour
• Protein baits are less harmful to beneficial insects, (because of the spot spraying technique, there is less insecticide applied to the crop or tree and non-target species have more refuges) making them suitable for use in IPM programs
• Has been proven effective for fruit fly management
• Easy to use. Farmers may also be able to use simple, inexpensive spraying equipment
• Can also be used in integrated system approach for managing fruit fly such as: quarantine surveillance programmes, field pest management for fruit and vegetables growers at all levels particularly commercial producers and large area eradication of new incursions

Postitive Economic and Physical Well-Being Impact on Rural Communities

The first factory was built in the area of the Fosters Brewery at MY Tho, Tein Giang province in South Vietnam producing 50,000 litres of protein bait/year. The application of the protein bait has provided excellent control of fruit flies in large and small farms and has benefited the economic and well being of farmers. The crops that were treated and damaged significantly reduced are; peach, guava, jujube, barbados cherry, luffa and bitter gourd.

Malaysia will adopt similar technology. The plant will be built with Carsberg and is targeted for production in late august 2006. Indonesia to follow suite with plant to be built with Multi Bintang/Heineken in Surabaya.