The European Group for
Integrated Pest Management in
Development Cooperation

IPM (Integrated Pest Management) is an interdisciplinary approach to reducing losses through the use of an optimum combination of pest control techniques.

It has arisen out of the need to avoid the problems of pest resistance built-up, secondary pest outbreaks, human health problems, high cost of pesticide control and environmental degradation caused by excessive an inappropriate chemical pesticide use. The approach combines the aims of agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness, enabling farmers to make management decisions in full awareness of factors operating in their agro-ecosystems. It is a knowledge-intensive approach.

A key dimension of the work of IPM Europe and other IPM networks has been to stress the important effect non-technical factors have on adoption. Policy, instutional (principally research/ extension/ farmer linkages), information flow and socio-economic issues are all recognised as equally significant. This offers parallels for other sectors.

The IPM philosophy is equally applicable to the crop protection, postharvest, livestock and forestry sectors. With emphasis on making the best use of local and human resources, IPM encourages, wherever appropriate, the use of natural control mechanisms (such as enhancing the role of pest predators and parasites) and "traditional" pest management techniques known to farmers. However, the adoption of practical alternatives to chemical methods of control may be constrained by the absence of technical solutions, the lack of resources, or socio-economic and other factors. Where such constraints are severe, optimal IPM control could include alternative non-chemical control techniques and chemical pesticides.

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