What is NEFR?
- The term NEFR stands for pests’ Natural Enemies Field Reservoir. This is established on crop farms for protection of natural enemies (parasitoids and predators).
- Measures are taken to produce large numbers of parasitoids and predators that naturally disperse in environment or they are collected and released manually.
- This leads to maximize natural biological control of pests resulting in lowering pests’ densities and little is required pesticides use in crops.
- Integration of NEFR innovation has been successfully tested in management of mealy bugs, fruit flies and a number of other agricultural pests
NEFRs Objectives:
Overall Objective:
- Promote environment friendly resource conserving technologies in farming systems to reduce pesticides use in crops.
Specific Objectives:
- To minimize use of pesticides & re instate natural agro ecosystem.
- Reduce pests’ menace in crops (Guava, Mango, Cotton, Sugarcane and Okra).
- Build capacity of concerned stakeholders (Farmers and Academia) to adopt the biological control /IPM through NEFR technology.
- To promote natural biological control of pests in crops.
- Improve production procedures in line with international standards.
What we do at NEFR?
- Depending on situation an area of 100-200 acres farm is largely kept pesticides free to conserve pests’ natural enemies (parasitoids and predators).
- Shelter of 20X40x10 feet is built in crop area. Here thousands of insect infested plant parts collected from fields are put under shelter in open containers for multiplication of parasitoids in millions and further dispersed in fields around.
- Predators: Beneficial insects which immediately kill the host (insect pest).
- Parasitoids: Beneficial insects which complete their lifecycle in the body of Host (insect pests).
