The serenity and calm of the Mahela citrus orchard in Letsitele, Limpopo, at dawn belies the full-scale war that is taking place on the farm. Among the branches of this lush and verdant orchard, a silent fight for survival is unfolding as armies of predatory insects stand primed to sniff out their prey, invade and kill their adversaries. Behold nature's avengers: guardians of the harvest, maintainers of the natural balance and those that ensure farms will keep producing for years to come.
Eddie Vorster, director of Mahela, is one of a growing group of farmers turning to bio-controls to ward off pests in their orchards. These predatory insects, parasites and beneficial micro-organisms come without the detrimental effects on eco-systems that result from using synthetic chemical pesticides. Furthermore, farmers are able to comply with food safety regulations while protecting their crops, since these natural solutions don't leave chemical residues that could keep the produce out of the market.
A PEST-SPECIFIC SOLUTION
Bio-controls also appeal to farmers wanting to maintain biodiversity to extract the full benefit of an eco-system in harmony. Since the bio-controls are pest-specific, farmers don't risk wiping out other insects on the farm as they would when using chemical pesticides. An added benefit is that bio-controls offer another tool to
