Global trial on agroecological approaches to pest management
Can we manage agricultural pests in more planet- and person-friendly ways?
Traditionally, farmers have benefited from the pest control services of organisms living in and around their fields. But industrial agriculture has replaced these with pesticide use, which eliminates beneficial organisms alongside harmful ones, sets up an ‘arms race’ between chemicals and evolving pest resistance, and increases the cost of pest control to the farmer – as well as having broader impacts for biodiversity and human health.
Agroecological approaches to pest control, which work by boosting the role of beneficial organisms, offer a compelling alternative, which can work well in tandem with plant breeding, biological control and judicious use of safer pesticides.
This project will evaluate the agronomic and socio-economic viability of agroecological options for pest control across multiple tropical developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Working with multiple partners we will apply standardized protocols and data collection tools.
Supported by:
Project Scope
The project will focus on Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda Smith), a pest from the Americas that has spread recently across Africa and Asia, but will also collect information on other co-occurring pests and diseases, and explore agroecological pest management’s potential integration into smallholder farming systems.
Aim
The project’s aim is to know more about the effectiveness of agroecological interventions for pest management across a range of environmental and socio-economic contexts, through:
A globally coordinated trial of the effects of agroecological interventions on pest populations, crop damage and yield loss
Enhanced understanding of smallholder pest management strategies through farm and household surveys
Modality
The research process, which will be coordinated by CIFOR-ICRAF, will include:
Results will be disseminated widely, including through scientific publications, policy briefs and events.
Case Studies
Trial sites will be selected from across Africa, Asia and Latin America via competitive calls, and will include both on-farm and on-station trial elements.
Developing smallholder strategies for Fall armyworm management in Malawi and Zambia
Media
To learn more about the project’s outputs, such as policy documents, animations, conference recordings and more, please visit the dedicated page here.
