OliveFlyNet demonstration & innovation day organised in Bekaa, Tal-Amara, Lebanon

An exciting FruitFlyNet-ii project demonstration and innovation day about the OliveFlyNet system was organized by the Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute (LARI) and took place in Bekaa - Tal-Amara in Lebanon on 20th October 2023.

The main goals of the demonstration were to present the OliveFlyNet system, one of the main achievements done under the FruitFlyNet-ii project, to explore the technology introduced by the Location Aware System (LAS) that offers a potential environmental and economic advantages, as well as to explain the components and functionality of the e-trap and e-services products.

LARI team welcomed the attendees and the demonstration event started off with a short lecture explaining the process and components of the e-trap and then jumped right into an actual demonstration of the e-trap done by the expert Miss Nisreen El-Turkey.

During the demonstration the local project coordinator Ahmad El-Bitar presented the project aims and the problems facing in controlling the olive fruit fly that the farmers are really suffering from this fly since it is damaging their products. He demonstrated and described the e-trap process/ functionality and provided a detail explanation of the decision support system to produce a risk maps and alerts that will lead the farmer to control/ treat only when it is required and in specific locations.

Most of the event attendees were farmers and agricultural engineers although entomologists ,SME's , researchers were also present in this event. Attendees gained valuable insights into the potential of the e-trap technologies . By fostering creativity and knowledge exchange, the demonstration contributed to the progress of the FruitFlynet-ii project and empowered farmers to make meaningful contributions in controlling the olive fruit fly.

Great feedback noticed from the farmers and they were eager to apply the system in their orchards.