Farmers devastated as catastrophic threat tears through major food crops: 'Somehow entered into the country'

An invasive species has invaded Bangladesh, causing catastrophic consequences for agriculture and threatening further damage. 

What's happening?

Whiteflies — tiny sap-sucking insects — were identified in Bangladesh in 2019 and are believed to have found their way there between 2014 and 2015, according to Mongabay. 

A 2022 study identified and assessed the damage of whiteflies. "The insect somehow entered into the country with the imported coconut plants under a government [nutrition improvement] project launched in 2014," lead author Gopal Das, an entomology professor at Bangladesh Agricultural University, said.

The coconut plants were imported from Vietnam and India because of their ability to produce three times as many coconuts as native varieties. What was thought to be an agricultural boost and victory for farmers, and the country as a whole, has had the opposite effect with the whitefly infestation that continues to spread.

Since arriving, the critters have latched on to at least 61 different types of plants, negatively impacting their growth and production as well as becoming a major concern for farmers. Coconut, banana, and guava farms are suffering the worst from the invasion, putting some of the country's most valuable exported crops at risk. In 2023, Bangladesh was in the top 12 coconut-producing countries in the world, and in 2021, it was in the top 20 for banana production, as Mongabay reported.

"The invasion of the whitefly would not have reached this stage if the authority had taken proper steps in the beginning," Farid Uddin Ahmed, a botanist and former executive director of the Arannayk Foundation, told Mongabay.

The Bangladeshi government passed the Plant Quarantine Act 2011 to prevent invasions such as this, putting the Department of Agricultural Extension at the head. Former Director Md. Hamidur Rahman, however, said the quality of its facilities often prevented the unit from being meticulous.

Why are whiteflies concerning?

Whiteflies are an invasive species that acts like vampires when it comes to trees and plants, essentially sucking the life out of them.

"The insect can damage a plant in many ways, including removing nutrients and water from leaves and disrupting the photosynthesis process," the study stated, per Mongabay.

Many Bangladeshi farmers were forced to abandon their crops because of lower production and dying trees. For farmers, who depend on the health and sale of these crops, it's an economic problem just as much as it is an ecological crisis.

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Just as the word implies, invaders will take over — quickly and aggressively. They outcompete native plants for resources, making it difficult for the latter to survive in their vicinity, which can result in ruined ecosystems with lasting effects. This is why protecting native species — plants, animals, and their habitats — is so important. 

What's being done about whiteflies?

Researchers in Bangladesh have suggested deploying a parasitoid wasp, a natural predator to the whitefly, to tackle the invasion. According to Mongabay, another study showed countries had success in controlling whitefly populations using this natural solution.

Similarly, an expert gardener shared a nontoxic way of managing pests through the power of what she calls "green fairies" — tiny insects that can eat up to 100 aphids a week as well as whiteflies. Growing certain herbs alongside specific vegetables, also known as companion planting, creates natural repellents that will protect your garden. 

Avoiding pesticides and opting for clean, eco-friendly remedies reduces the amount of chemicals that end up in soil and oceans. If you are in need of pest control, try to avoid store-bought, mass-produced, toxin-filled products and try one of these solutions instead. Being a part of the solution starts with understanding the problem.

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