In the Dominican Republic, agriculture is the second most important industry and a major employer.
In March 2015, the outbreak of a highly destructive agricultural pest, the Mediterranean fruit fly, was detected in the country. Shortly after, one of the country’s main export markets – the United Sates – banned the import of 18 Dominican fruits and vegetables, causing an estimated US$ 42-million loss in 2015 alone and putting thousands of jobs at risk.
With the support of the IAEA, the country launched a programme to eradicate the fly using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) – a form of insect birth control that uses radiation to sterilize male insects.
On 7 July 2017 (or Today), the Dominican Republic announced that it is free of the fly, just over two years after the outbreak.