USAID field monitoring requirement

Annex 2. Elements of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program

Although farmers are likely using numerous IPM tactics, without really calling them that, IPM philosophy or planning is not generally an active part of crop production in West Africa CORAF/WECARD plots; thus, a basic understanding of the steps or elements needed in an IPM program are addressed below.

Most farmers are already using their own forms of GAPs and IPM, many of which are novel, self-created, adapted for local conditions, and many of which work well. These local tools and tactics need to be well understood and taken into account when making PMPs. Accurate assessments of these farmers’ GAP and IPM technologies, as well as an understanding of actual losses due to different constraints in farmers’ fields are required before designing a crop production and pest management program. Standards and Certification (S&C) farmers will have records of historical pesticide use and trends, as well as information on current use of artisanal or local IPM tactics.

Although perhaps up to ten species of pests may impact a crop and yields at different plant growth stages, generally only two or three are considered serious enough to spend money controlling. Farmers should be encouraged to monitor their population size, their life cycle, the kind of damage they cause and actual losses. Note that crop loss figures based on farmers’ perceptions of damage and loss are often overestimated.

Use of best management practices, preventive measures, and “organic” options to control pest impacts may eliminate the need for synthetic pesticides.

Continue dialog with project field staff, ministry extension staff and farmers when choosing methods to be used. Consider the feasibility of attractive methods, including the availability of resources needed, farmers’ perceptions of pest problems, their abilities to identify pests, their predators, diseases and parasitoids, and to act upon their observations.

Next, identify strategies and mechanisms for fostering the transfer of the needed IPM technology under various project and institutional arrangements, mechanisms, and funding levels. Define what is available for immediate transfer and what may require more adaptation and validation research. Set up an initial planning workshop (with a COP-supported and signed Action Plan) to help define and orient implementation activities, and begin to assign individual responsibilities.

The adoption of new techniques by small-, medium- and large-holder farmers occurs most readily when program participants acquire knowledge and skills through personal experience, observation, analysis, experimentation, decision-making and practice. At first, frequent (usually weekly) sessions are conducted for 10–20 farmers during the cropping season in farmers’ fields by trained instructors or extension agents.

Weekly meetings of smallholders, held during the cropping season, to discuss pest and related problems can be useful for sharing the success of various control methods. However, maintaining attendance is difficult except when there is a clear financial incentive (e.g., credit, advance knowledge of nearby infestations for early action leading to yield improvement).

In many countries, basic written and photographic guides to pest identification and crop-specific management techniques are unavailable or out of date. Videos featuring graphic pictures of the effects of acute and chronic pesticide exposure, and interviews with poisoning victims can be particularly effective.

Promoting and improving the quality of programs on IPM and the risks of synthetic pesticides has been effective at technical schools for rural youth. In addition to becoming future farmers, these students can bring informed views back to their communities.

Promoting Organic, GlobalGAP, BRC, Fair Trade or other certification for access to the lucrative and rapidly growing S&C systems-driven international and regional food markets can be, and is, a strong incentive to adopt IPM.

The following design steps are considered essential.

Organizations may forge partnerships based on a common commitment to “IPM” – only to discover too late that that their visions of IPM differ considerably. It is therefore highly important that partners articulate a common, detailed vision of IPM, centered on the crops and conditions the project will encounter.

The extent of commitment to IPM integration into project, design, and thus implementation depends strongly upon the following key variables:

At minimum twice a week, farmers should monitor their fields for pests, as some pest populations increase rapidly and unexpectedly; this increase is usually related closely to the stage of crop growth and weather conditions, but it is difficult to predict the severity of pest problems in advance.

A good IPM program draws from and integrates a variety of pest management techniques, like those presented in the above list. Flexibility to fit local needs is a key variable. Pesticides should be used only if no practical, effective, and economic non-chemical control methods are available. Once the pesticide has been carefully chosen for the pest, crop, and environment, it should be applied only to keep the pest population low, not necessarily eliminate it.

Implementation of IPM depends heavily on education, training, and demonstration to help farmers and extension workers develop and evaluate the IPM methods. Hands-on training conducted in farmers’ fields (as opposed to a classroom) is a must. Special training for extension workers and educational programs for government officials and the public are also important.

Develop data collection forms and checklists, collect baseline GAP/IPM data at the beginning of the project, and set targets.

Annex 3. Botanical Active Ingredients in Pesticides, Repellents, and Baits Regulated by USEPA

* attracts corn rootworm beetles, ** attracts Japanese beetles. Not all plant extracts are listed. More detailed information available for most oils: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm. Natural Source: Only one or a few sources are listed. Most of these chemicals are found in many different plants.