Sustainable agriculture through Integrated Pest Management
The pest problem
Across Canada and around the world, farmers must contend with hungry pests to grow a successful crop. In fact, there are more than 30,000 species of weeds, 10,000 species of insects and 50,000 diseases that can impact agricultural production. Any one of these types of pests have the potential to damage or even destroy a crop. Globally, farmers already lose up to 40 per cent of their crops to pests and diseases. The greater the crop loss, the less food and feed there is for our hungry world. And at a time when we are facing a global food security crisis, we cannot afford to have crops lost before they ever make it to our dinner plates.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
So, how do we protect crops from pests? Fortunately, there are a variety of approaches that fit into a model many farmers have been practicing for the better part of 50 years – Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs defines IPM as “an approach to pest control that considers all management options to maintain pests below an economic injury level. Tools for the management of pests include cultural, physical, biological, behavioural and chemical.” The various techniques can be divided into three main areas: prevention, observation and intervention.
IPM is a science-based decision-making process that enables farmers to make the best choices to deal with pests on their farms. It’s founded on the principles of flexibility due to the variety of crops, pests and growing regions – and choice – recognizing that the more tools farmers can choose from, the better their chances of success.
Farmers who practice IPM consider all the different available techniques for how to prevent and control pests in their field. They weigh the options and implement the approach(es) that minimize their environmental footprint while maximizing productivity. It removes ideology and the idea that any one tool is intrinsically good or bad and instead leverages science to employ the best tool for each individual situation.
It’s similar to a dog owner trying to protect their pet from ticks. They may avoid long grass during peak season (prevention), check their dog’s fur after a walk (observation), and remove any ticks found with tweezers (intervention). But dog owners can also use tools like collars, topical sprays or pills to prevent and treat ticks. And if a tick bite becomes serious, there are other products that can be used to address the issue. Having a variety of options in place allows the pet owner to make the best decision to protect and care for their animal.
How do pesticides fit into IPM?
Often times when people talk about pest control, they talk almost exclusively about pesticides. This dramatically over simplifies the entire IPM process. Pesticides are an important tool in the toolbox, yes, but they are only one piece of a much larger puzzle. If a pesticide is required to protect a crop, farmers only want to apply the product exactly when and where it’s needed in as precise a manner as possible. In fact, the prevention and observation phases of IPM are dedicated to avoiding a scenario in which a pesticide is necessary in the first place.
All the preparatory work that a farmer does – selecting crop rotation, seed selection, soil and plant nutrition, water management, etc. – is designed to ensure that crop has the best possible chance of success. In some cases, the presence of a few insect pests or weeds may not warrant action, in other cases the detection of a single insect or diseased plant can spell disaster for the crop and rapid intervention is required. If at the end of the day, after careful monitoring and consideration, a farmer decides action is required to control a pest that may damage their crop, there are a variety of options to chose from including mechanical control, biological control or chemical control.
Today, many farmers have access to precision and digital technology that have helped further advance IPM. They have access to more information than ever before about where, exactly, pest problems are occurring in their fields. And they have access to GPS-enabled equipment that enables them to apply pesticides exactly where they are needed.
Managing resistance
A top concern for farmers is the potential issue of weeds and pests that are resistant to pesticides. Applying pest control products responsibly and implementing IPM strategies, such as rotating pesticides, help mitigate the risk of resistance development. Here at CropLife Canada we are proud to be playing a leadership role in providing information and resources to the agriculture community to limit the emergence of resistance. Manage Resistance Now is a collaboration with industry, academia and government experts to increase knowledge and promote adoption of strategies that will lead to a reduction of weed, insect and disease resistance.
The future of sustainable agriculture through IPM
As we collectively work towards the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including zero hunger, while at the same time working towards the biodiversity protection targets set out as part of COP15, IPM will be critical. In fact, Target 7 in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework includes “reducing the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half including through integrated pest management, based on science, taking into account food security and livelihoods.” We need to produce more food (and Canada can and should be a leader in this) while also limiting our impact on the environment and protecting and preserving biodiversity.
Agriculture’s history of progress and innovation show that we can do this. Since 1960, food production has increased by 390 per cent while land use has increased by only 10 per cent. At the same time, pesticides today use 95 per cent less active ingredient per acre than they did 60 years ago. Agriculture has demonstrated its ability to do more with less. As more farmers adopt IPM approaches, including the advent of precision agriculture tools, we can feed the world while, at the same time, protecting the environment.
IPM adoption is synonymous with sustainable agriculture. That’s something everyone can support.
Pierre Petelle
President and CEO, CropLife Canada