HYDERABAD: As the red palm weevil (RPW) continues to devastate date palm plantations across the Middle East and parts of North Africa, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, has launched Workstream 3 – Digital Innovations under the Consortium for Red Palm Weevil Control (C4RPWC), signalling a shift towards predictive, digital-first pest management.
Supported by the Presidential Court of the UAE and the Gates Foundation, the three-year global programme brings together leading research institutions to address key gaps in RPW control.
Dr Srikanth Rupavatharam, senior scientist (Digital Agriculture) at ICRISAT, said the initiative focuses on early detection, as infestations are often noticed only after trees are irreversibly damaged.
The consortium, led by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), comprises five workstreams.
These include semiochemical-based trap-and-kill methods, biotechnological solutions such as RNA interference, digital early-warning systems, promotion of Good Agricultural Practices, and adoption and scaling up.
Launched at ICRISAT’s Hyderabad campus, Workstream 3 aims to integrate IoT sensors, drones, remote and optical sensing into a digital platform capable of generating early-detection alerts.
The system is expected to warn farmers well before visible damage occurs, enabling timely intervention and saving affected trees.
A citizen science-based mobile application will allow farmers to report infestations and receive advisories, making them active participants in pest management. The early warning system is being developed with a target accuracy of about 95%.
The programme is also expected to reduce chemical usage, promote integrated pest management, improve fruit quality and support sustainable livelihoods, while safeguarding date exports from the region.
Initial field trials are planned in the UAE and Egypt, after which the solutions will be scaled up to other affected regions.