Impacts on Integrated Pest Management - Climate Resilient Agriculture for Ensuring Food Security - page 213

they help farmers to make more informed decisions,
rather than trying to convince them to use a spe-
cifi c technology.
Mass media information campaigns and
entertainment education enhance traditional
extension approaches by making a large audi-
ence aware of the issue at the most appropriate
times (Huan et al. 2008 ). Whatever dissemina-
tion approaches are being used, there is a need
for follow-up programs to sustain adoption. At
the same time, information must fl ow both ways.
An understanding of why farmers in different
areas adopt certain practices or technologies,
their sociological perspectives, language, cul-
ture, market principles, and decision-making
necessitates the involvement of more than just
experts on specifi c technologies or agronomic
disciplines. Most research currently available
focuses on either the benefi ts or the risks of dif-
ferent practices. There needs to be a holistic
approach, considering all benefi ts and risks -
including externalities and mechanisms of how
these can be achieved.

11.5 Capacity Building

11.5.1 The Problem

Without sound human capacity to develop, adapt,
understand, and apply CHM, crop losses will con-
tinue to be a major contributor to food insecurity.
The multifaceted nature of CHM and the many sci-
entifi c and technological progresses made require
training and capacity development at many levels,
from policy makers to national researchers, knowl-
edge brokers, extension agents, and fi nally farmers.
Most higher education institutions in develop-
ing countries do not offer inclusive courses in
crop protection. Future scientists working in
CHM are poorly trained in all relevant disciplines
during their university careers. This lack of train-
ing cascades through the educational system, also
affecting technical agricultural institutions and
their practical agricultural curricula. If we are to
make an impact on food security in the coming
15 years, we have to strengthen the next genera-
tion in IPM expertise.

11.4.3 Incentives to Adopt New CHM
Technologies 11.5.2 The Solution

Farmers adopt new practices if they are profi t-
able and if they improve yield. A major incen-
tive to adoption is the demonstration that a
technology is profi table. This requires that
“income distorting” subsidies on specifi c pest
control options, such as chemical pesticides,
should be replaced by educational programs on
CHM and the properly integrated use of IPM
inputs. In addition to training, monetary incen-
tives promote the adoption of sustainable CHM
practices.
Improved crop health is a public environ-
mental good where local individual actions
benefi t a large community. The potential impact
of adjusted policies that provide payments for
environmental services to farmers for practic-
ing CHM and encourage the use of environ-
mentally friendly approaches with safer
pesticides should be evaluated and subsequent
measures taken.

A system-wide capacity building program in
CHM needs to be developed. To make such an
impact, policy makers, leaders of agricultural
ministries, heads of university crop protection
institutes, and leaders in extension need to be
exposed to the true nature and scale of the pest
and contaminant problems. In some cases, it will
be necessary to retool the solutions available to
solve crop health problems in the near future.
The following three capacity building pro-
grams are proposed, the fi rst two to rotate among
Africa, Asia, and South America and the third to
be implemented everywhere.

11.5.2.1 Implementation
of a Rotational Advanced
Knowledge Exchange
Program
The advanced national and international research
and education institutes as well as private