Impacts on Integrated Pest Management - Climate Resilient Agriculture for Ensuring Food Security - page 203

and socially acceptable way. According to FAO,
IPM is defi ned as “A pest management system
that in the context of the associated environment
and the population dynamics of the pest species
utilizes all suitable techniques and methods, in a
compatible manner as possible and maintains the
pest populations at levels below those causing
economic injury.”

pheromones, allomones, and the judicious use of
safe pesticides.
During the past decade, higher education
institutes, research managers, and investors have
shifted focus away from traditional crop protec-
tion towards crop resistance with a subsequent
decline in resources for broader plant health and
IPM. This has reduced the ability of crop protec-
tionists to take full advantage of the many new
technologies available today for managing crop
health. The momentum and impact that IPM has
had in the past on pests, especially insects, dis-
eases, and weeds as they affect crop health and
food security, need to be expanded and taken to a
new level. A potential exists for yields to increase
well beyond those attained by the green revolu-
tion while reducing human and environmental
costs.
Crop health is a major element in the highly pro-
ductive systems of modern agriculture. Developing
countries, where modernization has not yet taken
complete hold, will continue to be deprived of ade-
quate food and access to global markets if they do
not deploy the wide range of IPM technologies
available for crop health stability.
If the least developed countries are to be part
of the global community, this situation needs
major correction, and improved IPM systems are
the key to achieving it. Farmers in developing
countries can be part of the big picture and ben-
efi t from a wide range of IPM technologies that
promote crop health and domestic food security
(Table 11.1 ).
Improvements in IPM can lead to sound CHM
programs that contribute towards resolving the
unprecedented challenge to food security facing
the international community. This, however,
requires looking at CHM in the wider context of
climate change, trade globalization, environmen-
tal protection, and the role of agriculture for eco-
nomic growth to alleviate poverty.

11.1.1 Advantages of Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)

By bringing technology to farmers, IPM has been
instrumental in increasing agricultural productiv-
ity and sustainability and reducing pesticide mis-
use in the developing world. IPM in potato and
sweet potato in Latin America has shown an
internal rate of return on investment of 27-49 %,
a very high level when compared with other types
of investment in agricultural research; moreover,
the adoption of IPM brought additional net ben-
efi ts to farmers ranging from US$100 to 536/ha
(Ortiz et al. 2009 ). Pretty et al. ( 2006 ) have also
shown that IPM technologies have effected a
decline of 71 % in pesticide use, while yields
increased by 42 %. Different approaches based
on IPM have been developed in the French West
Indies in banana cultivation and have led to a
65 % decrease in pesticide use over the last
10 years (Côte et al. 2009 ).
IPM is needed to protect the sources of resis-
tance presently available and to supplement situa-
tions where only lower levels of resistance or
tolerance are available. Considering the approach-
ing food insecurity, there is an urgent need to mod-
ernize IPM programs and to continually integrate
established and new technologies for the improve-
ment of crop, environmental, and human health.

11.1.2 New Approach

11.2 Crop Health and Integrated

Pest Management

A major element in maintaining crop health is the
naturally occurring ecosystem services, such as
predators, parasites, and antagonists for all pests,
especially insects. Other control interventions are
standard practices in crop protection such as rotation,

One area where increased investment in science
would signifi cantly enhance efforts to more effec-