Definition & Concepts
Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) is an eco-friendly approach which aims at keeping pest
population at below economic threshold levels by employing all available
alternate pest control methods and techniques such as cultural, mechanical and
biological with emphasis on use of bio-pesticides and pesticides of
plant-origin like Neem formulations. The use of chemical pesticides is advised
as a measure of last resort when pest population in the crop crosses economic
threshold levels (ETL).
Suppression
of pest population below economic threshold level through the adoption of
feasible and affordable Good Agricultural Practices aiming least disturbance to
the
eco
system and environment.
National Policy on
IPM
The
indiscriminate and unilateral use of pesticides was the only plant protection tool
during sixties and seventies for sustaining of agricultural production
potential of the high yielding varieties under the intensive cropping systems.
This has led to several ill-effects like human and animal health hazards,
ecological imbalance, development of resistance in the pests to pesticides,
pests resurgence and environmental pollution as well as destruction of natural
enemies (bio-control agents) of pests and increased level of pesticides
residues in soil, water, food with the increased use of pesticides.
National
Policy statement on IPM was made by the then Hon’ble Union Agriculture Minister
of India in 1985. Later on National policy on Agriculture - 2000 and National
policy on Farmers - 2007 have also supported the IPM. It was also supported by
the Planning Commission document for 12th Plan addressing the
negative impact of chemical pesticides. In order to minimize the use of
hazardous chemical pesticides and to manage the insect pest/disease attack as
well as to increase the crop productivity, Government of India, Ministry of
Agriculture, Department of Agriculture & Co-operation (DAC) has launched a
scheme “Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management (IPM) Approach in
India in 1991-92”, as cardinal principle and main plank of Plant protection
strategy in overall crop production programme. Under the ambit of IPM
programme, the Govt. of India has established 31 Central IPM centers in 28
States and One UT. In 12th Five year plan EFC Memo, a “National
mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET)” was formed under
which a “sub-mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine” was
introduced from the year 2014-15. “Strengthening and Modernization of Pest
Management Approach in India has become one of the components of this sub-mission
with mandate to popularize adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) through
training and demonstration in crops inter-alia promotion of biological control
approaches in crop protection technology. This list of CIPMCs are given below:
List of Central
Integrated Pest Management Centres (CIPMCs)
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CIPMC
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States
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Regional
CIPMCs
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1
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Faridabad
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Haryana
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2
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Bangalore
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Karnataka
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3
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Guwahati
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Assam
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4
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Gorakhpur
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Uttar
Pradesh
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5
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Nagpur
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Maharashtra
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Major
CIPMCs
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6
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Hyderabad
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Telangana
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7
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Patna
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Bihar
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8
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Raipur
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Chhattisgarh
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9
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Ranchi
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Jharkhand
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10
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Bhubaneswar
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Odisha
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11
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Jalandhar
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Punjab
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12
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Lucknow
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Uttar
Pradesh
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13
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Kolkata
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West
Bengal
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14
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Vadodara
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Gujarat
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15
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Solan
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Himachal
Pradesh
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16
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Jammu
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Jammu
& Kashmir
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17
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Ernakulam
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Kerala
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18
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Indore
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Madhya
Pradesh
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19
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Trichy
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Tamilnadu
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20
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Sriganganagar
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Rajasthan
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21
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Dehradun
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Uttarakhand
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Minor
CIPMCs
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22
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Port
Blair
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Andaman
and Nicobar
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23
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Itanagar
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Arunachal
Pradesh
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24
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Madgaon
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Goa
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25
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Srinagar
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Jammu
& Kashmir
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26
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Shillong
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Meghalaya
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27
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Imphal
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Manipur
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28
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Aizwal
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Mizoram
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29
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Dimapur
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Nagaland
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30
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Gangtok
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Sikkim
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31
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Agartala
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Tripura
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Mandate
of Central Integrated Pest Management Centres:-
The
mandate of these Centres is pest/disease monitoring, production and release of
bio-control agents/ bio-pesticides, conservation of bio-control agents and
Human Resource Development in IPM by imparting training to Agriculture /
Horticulture Extension Officers and farmers at Grass Root Level by organizing
Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) in farmers’ fields. Basic aim of FFS is to train
the farmers on the latest IPM technology so that they are able to take
decisions in pest management operation. In FFSs the farmers are also trained
about the judicious use of pesticides on their crops so that the crop can be
grown with minimum use of pesticides.
Objectives:-
Ø Maximize
crop production with minimum input costs.
Ø Minimize
environmental pollution in soil, water and air due to pesticides.
Ø Minimize
occupational health hazards due to chemical pesticides.
Ø Conserve
ecosystem and maintain ecological equilibrium.
Ø Judicious
use of chemical pesticides for reducing pesticide residues.
Activities:-
The
31 Central Integrated Pest Management Centers (CIPMCs) located in 28 States and
one Union Territory undertakes the programme with following activities:
Ø Surveillance
& Monitoring of insect-pest & diseases.
Ø Augmentation
and Conservation of Natural enemies.
Ø Production
and release of bio-control agents.
Ø Human
Resource Development (HRD) through Farmers’ Field Schools (FFSs) Season-long
training programmes, orientation training programme and refresher courses.
Survey
and Surveillance
Ø To
keep a close watch over a desired period of time in an identified cropped area
on build up of pests (insects, vertebrates, diseases, nematodes & weeds
etc.) and their natural enemy population so that a prior care can be adopted to
control the target pests.
Ø The
basic objective of pest surveillance is to detect the early sign of existing
and emerging pest and their natural enemies for issuance of timely advisories
to the State Govt. and farmers for the adoption of suitable intervention.
Ø Survey,
monitoring, field scouting are the major activities of the pest surveillance.
Fixed plot and rapid roving survey methodology are adopted for pest
surveillance.
Ø e-pest
surveillance is required to reduce the lead time from pest detection to
adoption of interventions.
Ø Rapid
Roving Pest Surveys are conducted by the teams of CIPMCs on a predetermined
survey routes.
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Biological
practices:
Biological
control of insect pests and diseases through biological means is most
important component of IPM. In broader sense, biocontrol is use of living
organisms to control unwanted living organisms (pests). In other words,
deliberate use of parasitoids, predators and pathogens to maintain pest
population at level blow those causing economic loss either by introducing a
new bioagent in the environment of pest or by increasing effectiveness of
those already preset in the field.
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Parasitoids:
These
are the organisms which lay eggs in or on the bodies of their hosts and
complete their life cycles on host bodies as a result of which hosts die. A
parasitoid may be of different type depending on the host developmental stage
in or on which it completes its life cycle. For example, egg, larval, pupal,
adult, egg-larval and larval pupal parasitoids. Example are different
species of Trichogramma, Apanteles, Bracon, Chelonus, Brachemeria,
Pseudogonotopus etc.
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Predators:
These
are free living organisms which prey upon other organisms for their food.
Examples are different species of spiders, dragon flies, damsel flies, lady
bird beetles, Chrysopa species, birds etc.
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Pathogens:
These
are micro-organisims which infest and cause diseases in their hosts as a
result of which hosts are killed. Major groups of pathogens are fungi, virus
and bacteria. Some nematodes also cause diseases in some insect pests.
Important examples of fungi are different species of Hirsutella,
Beauveria, Nomurae and Metarhizium which have been reported to
infect and kill large number of insects (upto 90%) in the fields. Among
viruses, most important examples are of Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) and
Granulosis viruses. Outbreak of viruses in armyworms, cut worms, leaf
folders, hairy caterpillars and plant hoppers have been reported many times.
Among bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) and B.
popillae are very common examples.
Diseases
of pests can be mass multiplied in the laboratory at a low cost in liquid or
powdered formulations that can be sprayed like ordinary chemical pesticides.
These formulations are known as biopesticides. The different types of
biocontrol practices are grouped as under:-
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a.
Introduction
In
this process, a new species of bioagent is introduced in a locality for its
establishment against its host. This is done only after thorough laboratory
examination and field trials for its efficacy.
b. Augmentation
In
this process, the population of natural enemies already present in the area
is increased by releasing either laboratory reared or field collected
bioagents of same species in such number as would require to suppress the
pest population in that area.
c. Conservation
This
is most important component of biological control and plays a major role in
pest suppression. In this process, natural enemies present in the nature are
protected from being killed.
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Human Resource
Development Programmes in IPM
There
are 3 types of Human Resources Development Programmes being Implemented in
component promotion of integrated pest management under the scheme “Strengthening
and Modernization Pest Management Approach in India” (SMPMA). The
details of these programmes are as under –
i.
Farmers field school programme:
It
is one of the major activities of the scheme SMPMA through which the concept of
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is being popularize among the farming
community by organizing the IPM Farmer’s Field Schools (FFS) on major
crops (Rabi & Kharif). The basic objective of organizing FFS is to make the
farmers self decision maker about their own field on crop cultivation and IPM
activities. It is a season long activity which is confined in 14 weekly
sittings in form of FFS in a village where the programme is to be conducted.
The villages /area with more use of pesticides and having a pest history is
generally selected for organizing FFS.
30
nos. Farmers and 5 nos. Agriculture Extension Officers (AEO) are selected in
each FFS programme for giving training. Progressive farmers or NGO’s are also
selected in place of AEO’s if they are not spared by the government. First of all
a bench mark survey by way of conducting farmers interview on a prescribed
Profarma is conducted. The training is fully field oriented participatory and
non- formal approach. On form practical training in specific crops on IPM
practices are organized in FFS. The AEO’s trained in this training are supposed
to provide training to other fellow farmers by conducting FFS in their area of
jurisdiction. Rs. 26,700/- is allotted for each FFS to be conducted by CIPMCs.
Similarly Rs. 29,200/- sanction is allotted to each FFS to be conducted by
KVKs.
ii. SEASON LONG
TRAINING PROGRAMME
On-farm
practical training in specific crop in relation to IPM practices through Season
Long Training Programmes are organized for the extension workers. The
facilitators trained in this Training of Facilitators programme will further
conduct FFS in their respective areas for that specific crop. Initially
these SLTPs training programmes were started, designed and funded by FAO/ UNDP/
ADB agencies for the officers of Directorate of PPQS to make them master
trainers. Later on the state extension officers from Departments of Agriculture
and Horticulture were also included as trainees. Initially state governments
were deficient of trained personals to organize IPM training programmes to train
their own staff, so the states nominated their extension officers in these
programmes regularly. Later on Government of India started such programmes with
its own funding. The state were deputing their officers for training in such
programmes regularly but with the passage of time/seasons it was felt that the
state governments were not in a position to depute their officers as many as
required for whole crop seasons or for long durations. Because their extension
officers have to perform multifarious field activities where as our training
programmes were designed keeping in view the pest problems only. There had also
been regular reactions from the states that it is not feasible for them to
spare the services of their Agricultural Extension Officers/ Subject Matter
Specialists for such a long durations especially for these trainings. If these
officers are deployed for such long periods their areas remain unattended to
perform other extension activities. Keeping in view of above facts the periods
of 60 and 90 days trainings programmes were squeezed to 30 days by the
Directorate taking into account the peak pest’s periods.
iii.
Short
Duration Training Programmes on IPM
In
order to promote Integrated Pest Management Approach on war footing level among
the farming Community, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Pesticide
dealers, Graduate and Post Graduate Students, two and five days short duration
training programmes on IPM are being conducted by CIPMCs to enable them to
practice these eco-friendly Plant Protection approaches in their fields and
also to popularize and spread the IPM measures among the society. Two days IPM
programmes are meant for farmers whereas the five days programmes are for the
State Agriculture Extension Officers, NGOs and Pesticide Dealers.
Initially,
the IPM Training by the CIPMCs were started by Implementing Short Duration
Trainings for two and five days in the states for the state agriculture
extension officers since 1990 which were later on merged with the activities of
cluster demonstrations in form of Farmers Fields School for which no separate
budget provision was kept. The basic objective of these programmes were to
create awareness among the farming community about the ill effects of
pesticides and to disseminate the knowledge of non-chemical methods of pest
management among the farming community and the state extension agencies. They
were apprised about the presence of beneficial organism present in the fields
contributing a great role in pest management. The two days and five days
programmes for which the separate budget was provided were started since
2005-2006. Total 40 trainees were trained in each programme.
Brief
description of work up-to 2013-14:
Directorate
of PPQ&S, under DAC has organized 15,233 Nos.
of Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) wherein 58620Agriculture
/ Horticulture Extension Officers and 4,57,988 farmers
on different crops upto 2013-14 have been trained on latest IPM technology in
various crops. Over an area of 248.86 lakh
ha. has been covered under pest monitoring and 47,489
million bio-control agents has been released in the States for control of
different pests and diseases. So far total 2,151 master trainers are
trained in different crop like Rice, Cotton, Vegetable, Fruit Crops, Ground
nut, Mustard, Soybean, Gram/tur, Chillies & sugarcane. Total of 701
two days HRD programme and 67 five days HRD programme were organized
since 2005-06 onwards through which total 26,040 farmers
in two days programmes and 2,680 AEOs/ Pesticides Dealers/ NGOs/
Progressive Farmers are trained and sensitized to reduce the use of chemical
pesticides by encouraging the use of good agricultural practices in Five days
HRD programmes at also IPM package of practices for pests/diseases management
in 77 major crops have been developed in collaboration with State
Department of Agriculture / Horticulture / ICAR Institutions / State
Agriculture Universities which have been circulated to all States / UTs and
have been posted on Directorate’s website www.dacnet.nic.in/ppin for the use by the extension functionaries and the farmers.
At present
there are 352 bio-control laboratories functioning in India for
production of Bio-control agents & bio-pesticides. These labs have setup by
different agencies viz. Central Government, State Govt., ICAR, SAU’s, DBT,
NGO’s & Private entrepreneurs.
Under Grant
in aid Rs. 1,772 lakh to the States & Rs.64,15,503/_ to the NGO’s has been
granted for setting up of bio-control laboratories in different states &
UT’s .Beside this Rs 3 ,53,73, 000/_ has been granted for rodent
pest management in North Eastern States.
Vandana
Jain, Director
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation
Ministry
of Agriculture