Book reviews - Pesticides News No 54

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Biocontrols and the CBD
There is much debate over the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and access to benefits from the ‘Green Gold’ of genetic resources. Many people feel their fundamental rights to the financial benefits of genetic resource use in commercial products are not being met. This short case study provides a useful illustration of the commercial development of a bioinsecticide for the biological control of locusts and grasshoppers. 
    The case study describes each stage of the process: the history of the LUBILOSA Programme, the development of the product ‘Green Muscle’, the route to dissemination and technology transfer, the disclosure, sharing and exchange of information, and commercial company collaboration. The aim is to review the LUBILOSA programme to demonstrate how research and product commercialisation can be accomplished in the context of a development assistance project. The authors state that it clearly shows how the provisions of the CBD can be fulfilled when developing ‘environmentally friendly pesticides’ with respect to equitable sharing of research results and benefits, access to and transfer of technology, technical and scientific cooperation, and participation in research and financial resources. 
    This case study could be useful for all stakeholders involved in finding solutions that make access to the benefits of genetic resource commercialisation possible, as well as to those people working in the areas of crop protection, biological control and agricultural development. 

D Dent and C Lomer, The Convention on Biological Diversity and Product Commercialisation in Development Assistance Projects: A Case Study of LUBILOSA, Biopesticides Series, No. 3, CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8DE, UK, Tel:+44 (0) 1491 832 111, Fax: +44 (0)1491 829 292, Email: orders@cabi.org, September 2001, 64pp. Order direct from Amazon.co.uk.

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How to save the planet
This book of ideas has been created on the premise that most people want to do something to help save the environment, but are not quite sure how. This little book contains 365 ‘pain-free and amusing’ practical tips on how to make simple changes to our daily lives, which will benefit our environment, ecology and community. The book is aimed at consumers of all ages, and the ideas are short, simple and fun. Topics covered include sleeping, eating out, waste, love, hotels, pets and presents. It contains a comprehensive list of contacts for further information. It is very accessible for the general public, illustrated throughout with cartoons and containing ideas that everyone can implement without having to drastically change their lifestyles such as putting a spider plant on your desk, and taking your UK grown Christmas tree to a recycling scheme. 
    The Ecologist has produced this book in time for Christmas, in the hope it will fill stockings across the country, and might even make a difference if many people take small steps. 

The Ecologist, Go M.A.D. Alton Logistics Ltd, Unit 4, Battle Road, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6RY. Tel: 01626 832225, Fax: 01626 832398, 2001, 180pp. Order direct from Amazon.co.uk.

Farmer field schools: lessons from Zanzibar
This book tells the story of an international collaboration in crop protection that evolved over sixteen years in Zanzibar. The project developed from a top-down activity focusing on the strengthening of a governmental plant protection organisation, to a successful process of bottom-up development in subsistence agriculture.
The book describes the experiences of Farmer Field School (FFS) development in Zanzibar, the results in five different cropping systems, and general lessons are drawn from successes and failures. Lessons include necessary adaptations of the FFS model, originally developed in rice agriculture in Southeast Asia, to the typical agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions of small-scale farmers in East Africa. By doing so, the book addresses biological, ecological, social, economic, bureaucratic, and political dimensions of agricultural development.
    The conclusions of this work show that FFS can work in an East African context if certain conditions are met. These conditions include raising awareness, creating mutual trust, developing new partnerships in research and extension, promoting conducive policies for FFS development, and mobilising funds to make this happen. The FFS way of working is capable of effectively mobilising people to collaborate in new and productive ways. However, this will not happen overnight and requires commitment of many stakeholders. This well set out book is a resource for all stakeholders in IPM and participatory research, from policy makers to farmers.

Gerard Bruin and Frans Meerman, New ways of developing agricultural technologies: the Zanzibar experience with participatory IPM, Wageningen University and Research Centre and ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation, Wageningen University, PO Box 8031, 6700 EH Wageningen, the Netherlands, Tel: + 31 (0) 317 484 653, Email: arnold@vanhuis.com, www.Wageningen-UR.nl, 2001, 167pp.

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Biopesticides bible
Natural biopesticides are increasingly being advocated for commercial pest control. Conventional farmers and growers can use them as part of their integrated pest management strategy whilst for organic producers there are suggestions that they provide the answer to pest problems which would otherwise have to go unchecked. The fully revised and updated second edition of The BioPesticide Manual contains valuable information for all those interested in biopesticide products. It contains a comprehensive listing of 273 biocontrol agents that are used in over 1000 commercial products. 
    Each entry in the manual contains detailed information including nomenclature, mode of action, biological activity, target crops, application, commercialisation, toxicity and environmental impact. There are also extensive sections on organic farming, a directory of biocontrol companies, and a Latin/English glossary. It is complementary to The Pesticide Manual for easy cross-referencing.

The BioPesticide Manual, BCPC Publications Sales, Bear Farm, Binfield, Bracknell, Berks, RG42 5QE, UK, Tel: +44 (0) 118 934 2727, Fax: +44 (0) 118 934 1998, 2001. Order direct from Amazon.co.uk.

The CAP in 2000
This pamphlet appraises agriculture in Europe for the year 2000. It reviews the year in the agricultural markets, providing statistics on agricultural production. The pamphlet outlines the adoption of the first new general rural development programmes across Europe, and describes how the Agenda 2000 reforms will benefit the environment through agri-environment schemes. Following the BSE crisis, there were changes in beef labeling, and the Commission have also been examining issues such as the legislation on organic livestock production and the prohibition of GMOs. The WTO agricultural trade talks in 2000 were especially significant for European agriculture, information on these talks and other bilateral agreements and issues are provided. The pamphlet concludes that the outlook for EU trade in agricultural products remains positive. The Agenda 2000 reforms mark a new stage in the continuing reform process, which aims to bring about a farm sector closer to market realities, closer to the environment and closer to consumers.

European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture, The Common Agricultural Policy: 2000 review, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, 2001, 25pp.

England’s farming future
Most of us are aware that foot and mouth is only the most recent in a series of disasters for the farming industry, coming on top of severe depression in farm incomes and the tragedy of BSE. The future of farming depends however on more than crisis management. Agriculture is facing profound and long-term changes that will be critical not only in deciding the future structure of the industry, but also in shaping the countryside.
In this short pamphlet, CPRE has identified the most important trends that will affect the future of farming in England, such as changing consumer attitudes, CAP reform and trade liberalisation. It describes the threats they present and the opportunities they offer for a secure and sustainable farming future. The report identifies some of the main options open to farmers and shows that with the right advice, incentives and regulatory framework, farmers will be able to run both competitive businesses and produce and sustain an attractive and diverse countryside. The report conveniently highlights the key points, emphasises the role of government and public support, and provides a ten point action plan for agri-environment schemes. 

Alastair Rutherford, Farming Futures, Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), Warwick House, 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0PP, Tel: 020 7976 6433, Fax: 020 7976 6373, Email: info@cpre.org.uk, www.cpre.org.uk, 2001, 20pp.

OPs and health
Pesticides News readers will be well aware that few chemical compounds created by man have caused greater controversy than organophosphates. Originally conceived as insecticides, they have also been developed to become chemical weapons. As the toxicity of organophosphates is non-specific, it has caused ill health and death in man, and has contributed to adverse ecological effects.
    This text primarily covers the health aspects of organophosphates – it describes their history, chemistry and pharmacology, and examines in detail the potential toxic effects to humans, for example on the brain and the muscles. It also contains discussions on related social, economic, environmental and agricultural issues. This book, written by recognised experts, studies and presents information in a manner that basic scientists, medical personnel, environmentalists, agriculturalists, and those in public health and occupational medicine will find useful when considering the use of organophosphates in their disciplines. The book aims to stimulate research and study to narrow the vast gaps in our knowledge.

Lakshman Karalliedde, Stanley Feldman, John Henry, Timothy Marrs (Eds.), Organophosphates and Health, Imperial College Press, 57 Sheldon Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9HE, www.icpress.co.uk, 2001, 512pp. Order direct from Amazon.co.uk.

Indian biological control
This book summarises state-of-the-art biological control in India by the augmentation approach – regular field releases of native predator, parasite and microbial natural enemies of insect pests. Indian contributors discuss progress and problems in biocontrol methods in cotton, rice and vegetable IPM systems, as well as quality control, commercialisation, farmer training and registration aspects of Indian biocontrol products. UK contributors provide short, global overviews of production and registration of microbial biopesticides and biosafety and regulatory issues related to biopesticides, predators and parasitic insects. Short case studies for cotton describe how releases of predators and parasites and the use of viral biopesticides have been integrated with other IPM methods and compare costs-benefits with conventional chemical practice.

SP Singh, ST Murphy and CR Ballal (Eds.) Augmentative Biocontrol, Proceedings of the ICAR-CABI workshop, June 29th-July 1st 2000, CABI Bioscience UK and Project Directorate of Biological Control (ICAR), Bangalore, India, Email: <pdblc@kar.nic.in> 2001, 250pp. 

Pesticides usage survey
A new report presents information on all aspects of pesticide usage on outdoor vegetable crops grown in Great Britain. The report shows that despite the fact that the total area of vegetable crops grown for human consumption has declined over the past 13 years, there has been an increase in the area of land treated. The weight of pesticide active substances applied has decreased, reflecting a move to the use of stronger products with lower rates of application and repeat low dose spray programmes. 
    The survey found herbicides accounted for 40% of the total pesticide treated area, insecticides 36%, fungicides 20% and biological control agents less than one per cent. Organophosphate and carbamates accounted for nearly 50 % of insecticides applied. 

DG Garthwaite, MR Thomas and S Dean, Pesticide Usage Survey Report 163: Outdoor Vegetable Crops in Great Britain 1999. Pesticides Usage Survey, Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, Tel:+ 44 (0)1904 462200, www.cls.gov.uk/liason, 2001, 61pp.

New methyl bromide resources
Alternative technologies
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction Programme have produced a sourcebook for all users of methyl bromide (MB). The purpose of the book is to assist MB users to phase-out their use of the fumigant by providing information about the major technical options, particularly technologies that are in commercial use, and giving details of many useful contacts and resources worldwide. 
    This clearly set out and easy to use book divides MB uses into soil uses and stored product, traded commodity and transport use. For each of the two groupings, the sourcebook covers general guidance for selecting non-ozone depleting substances (ODS) techniques, the importance of pest identification and management, description of major alternative techniques, efficacy, uses and limitations of each alternative technique, lists of material inputs and suppliers, questions to consider when selecting specific alternatives and sources of further information.

Velma Smith (Ed.) Sourcebook of Technologies for Protecting the Ozone Layer: Alternatives to Methyl Bromide, Energy and OzonAction Unit, UNEP, 39-43, quai André Citroën, 75739 Paris Cedex 15, France, Tel: +33 (1) 443 71459, Email: ozonaction@unep.fr, www.uneptie.org/ozonaction, 2001, 316pp. Order direct from Amazon.co.uk.

Alternatives in Eastern Europe
The UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has produced several reports as part of their project ‘Initiating the Early Phase Out of Methyl Bromide in CEITs Through Awareness Raising, Policy Development and Demonstration/Training Activities’. 
    The Interim report outlines the results of the first year of a Polish alternatives project for horticultural crops. Alternatives that proved viable included biocontrols, organic amendments and pesticides used in combination as part of an IPM system. These alternatives can be adapted to meet local farming conditions throughout Eastern and Central Europe.
    Another report summarises the results of national surveys that were carried out to determine MB consumption and existing/potential alternatives. It also provides information on MB regulations, stakeholder involvement and agricultural organisations that can be used in efforts to promote MB alternatives. 
The workshop report outlines the presentations, discussions, key conclusions and recommendations, and national action plans developed by each country.

Interim Report of the UNEP Regional Demonstration Project to Identify and Evaluate Environmentally Sustainable Alternatives for Methyl Bromide Used on Horticultural Crops in Eastern and Central Europe; Results of Survey on National Methyl Bromide consumption in Eastern and Central Europe; Report of Regional Workshop to Assist Methyl Bromide Phase Out in Eastern and Central Europe, Energy and OzonAction Unit, UNEP see above, 2001 

Help for developing countries
OzonAction have produced a special supplement to their Newsletter providing information and assistance particularly for developing nations, to help win the battle against the trade in illegal ODS such as MB. The articles explore the complexities of the illegal trade in detail and offer a wide array of suggestions and recommendations for putting an end to this problem.

M Rynn (Ed.) Illegal trade in ozone depleting substances: is there a hole in the Montreal Protocol? OzonAction Newsletter, Special Supplement, No. 6, Energy and OzonAction Unit, UNEP, see above, 2001, 27pp.

Ethiopian workshop
A workshop was held in Ethiopia in June 2001 on the use of MB, its effect on the depletion of the ozone layer, and viable alternatives in Ethiopia.
    This report summarises the workshop which focused on awareness creation amongst stakeholders, updating of current decisions by the international community on the fate of MB, review of the state of affairs in Ethiopia, and drafting of an action plan.

Fisseha Itanna (Ed.) Phasing out Methyl Bromide in Ethiopia Experience and Perspective. Environment Development Action – Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 2001.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 54, December 2001, page 22]