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A new book describes recent experiences in cotton IPM training programmes which focus on improving farmers’ pest management decision-making skills, based on a sound understanding of agroecology and natural control methods. Case studies from Australia, China, India, Peru, Pakistan and Zimbabwe show how farmers have greatly reduced, or sometimes eliminated, their use of pesticides while improving their profits. They describe the problems with conventional IPM extension approaches and how these have been successfully tackled by different
programmes, notably by Farmer Field School training. Detailed field exercises for helping farmers and extensionists learn about natural enemies, crop compensation and pesticide side-effects in cotton are provided, with further reading and contact lists. The book is designed for farmer trainers and crop protection staff but will interest all those involved in cotton pest management programmes and can be obtained by contacting PAN
UK.
Learning to Cut the Chemicals in Cotton: case studies and exercises in farmer focused cotton IPM from around the world. CABI Bioscience Technical Support Group to the Global IPM Facility, in association with PAN UK, 2000, 91pp. This publication has been supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC), Global IPM Facility and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Community IPM Programme.
[This article first appeared in
Pesticides News No. 52, June 2001, page 21]