INTEGRATIVE CULTURAL RESEARCH PROJECT, 2009-2010, Marcia Croft
This project focused on studying insect diversity, specifically related to an agricultural context, in Northern Thailand. This study was conducted at an agricultural research center focusing on helping local ethnic minorities establish sustainable agriculture, so we studied insects both at the center and in the villages. We interviewed staff and villagers about pest problems and observed and collected data on insect diversity in a number of ways. After collecting data for three weeks on a number of vulnerable crop species, we examined trends in the factors affect insect populations in these vegetable gardens.
The goal of this project was to identify key pest and beneficial species, learn about the insect biodiversity at UHDP, and come up with solutions based on Integrated Pest Management principles for application in the villages. We learned about how people understand and deal with pests in this context and what kinds of pests they regularly face. We learned about the vulnerable crop species and the factors affecting pest predation and made recommendations based on our findings.