FAO is launching the Regional TCP project on Management of Tomato Borer: T. absoluta to tackle the threats of the pest on solanacious crops in the Near East. FAO is emphasizing on bio-ecological pest control approach against the tomato borer that are environmentally and economically sustainable methods reducing the heavy use of pesticides, and favour the use of natural enemies and "attract-and-kill" pheromone traps that have been proven effective in the Mediterranean countries.

The Regional TCP Project will cover the following affected countries in the region: Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The project will strengthen the regional collaboration, coordination, information and knowledge exchange in management of T. abosluta as well as assist in mapping the pest and contain its spread within the region. It will also contribute to the countries’ capacity building in management of T. absoluta based on integrated pest management (IPM) approach with focus capacity building of National Plant Protection Organizations on pest surveillance, biological control development and phytosanitary measures. Furthermore, the project will assist countries in developing a national sustainable strategy for management of T. absoluta.

Tomato borer with its high reproductive capacity deemed as one of the most serious and destructive pest of tomato crop. It attacks also other various plants of Solanaceae family such potato, eggplant, pepper, tobacco and solanacious weeds; and common beans, however, tomato as most economically important crop in the region is the main host of the pest.

It was first introduced from South America into Spain in 2006. In the past few years T. absoluta has spread rapidly through countries in the Mediterranean Basin, Europe and Near East.

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