EDN #145 Now Available

In this issue:

• Pest Prevention: The Foundation of Integrated Pest Management
• Echoes from our Network: Nutrition Education in the Context of Community Agriculture Programs
• From ECHO's Seed Bank: New Lima Bean Cultivars Available
• Books, Web Sites, and Other Resources: Syntropic Farming Guidebook by Roger Gietzen

Download EDN 145

Pest Prevention The Foundation of Integrated Pest Management

Stacy Swartz

Excerpt:

When the topic of agricultural pest management is mentioned, most people think first about monitoring for pests or intervening to reduce pests: scouting, pest identification, and/or application of pesticides are some specific practices. However, prevention is an often-overlooked key strategy that farmers can use to minimize the likelihood of pest problems. This article will explore the role of prevention in a pest management plan.

Smallholder farmers in the tropics face increasingly overwhelming hurdles. Population growth, a volatile global climate, and the need for long-term productivity make sustainable food production challenging. Integrated pest management is a platform to equip farmers with diverse decision-making skills. When farmers focus on knowledge and preventative measures, they begin to feel in control of their production, and their mindset about pest management changes from reactionary to preparatory.

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