Weed management: the broader context - Ecological Management of Agricultural Weeds - page 509

Ecological Research Site program might serve as a model if substantial modifi-
cations were made to meet the particular needs of agricultural research.
Fourth, researchers can foster better funding for ecological weed manage-
ment simply by making it their own research priority. Writing competitive
grant proposals is considerably more work than collecting funding from her-
bicide manufacturers for spray trials. Over the long run, however, funding
levels for government programs reflect the quantity and quality of the propo-
sals submitted. If weed scientists do not work for competitive funding, the
funding will go to other areas. Moreover, researchers must resist the tendency
for herbicide money to pull resources out of government sponsored pro-
grams. Ideally, industry money should be supporting overhead on govern-
ment sponsored research on ecological weed management, not vice versa.One
way to create greater awareness of the research priorities and constituencies
for ecological weed management would be to develop a sabbatical program
that linked researchers and extensionists with farmers who are particularly
successful in the management of sustainable agricultural systems (Vorley &
Keeney, 1998). Such a program might partially counterbalance the ideological
influence of herbicide company funding.
Fifth, the lack of weed science positions in academic institutions, particu-
larly positions focused on the development of ecological weed management
strategies, could be compensated for by improving links between weed scien-
tists and entomologists, plant pathologists, soil scientists, crop breeders, agri-
cultural engineers, modelers, “basic” plant ecologists, and others. As weed
scientists develop a more holistic perspective on farming systems and agroe-
cosystem management, opportunities for collaborative research should
increase.
Sixth, researchers and administrators could expand the funding base and
resources available for ecological weed management by developing links with
private foundations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Until
recently, funding by private foundations for agricultural research outside of
the international centers was meager, perhaps due to the belief that national
governments covered all the needs. This appears to be changing (Viederman,
1990). Emphasis on links between sustainable agriculture, environmental
quality, and community development could encourage funding from founda-
tions that previously have not funded agricultural research.Additional oppor-
tunities exist with NGOs, which have proven increasingly effective in
facilitating interactions between farmers and researchers seeking improved
pest management systems (Thrupp, 1996). Strategies to develop the number
and scope of NGO-farmer-researcher collaborations should be pursued.
Finally, researchers can improve support for ecological weed management