Integrated Pest Management policy, research and implementation: European initiatives

Abstract

Times are changing for pest management in Europe. Stronger societal demands and pesticide resistance pressure farmers to reduce their reliance on pesticides more than ever before. Reconciling human health and environmental goals with production is a challenge for farmers as well as for all crop-protection stakeholders. Expectations that research and extension will quickly provide solutions are high everywhere. Although a few European countries have acquired experience with pesticide action plans or implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) guidelines on a national scale, many others are starting from a more modest base. Stakeholders in Europe are looking beyond their national borders to create synergies and share experiences and know-how. Representatives of the European Commission and Parliament, governments, research, extension, farmers, industry, and civil society are engaged in dynamic interactions. A Europe-wide structure (an ERA-Net) able to coordinate national calls for research and extension proposals on IPM is planned for 2014. Since 2007, the 10-country network ENDURE has pooled expertise among its 15 research, education, and extension member institutions. It has conducted joint reviews and original studies on IPM, organized summer schools, set up an internet-based platform on wheat cultivars and pathogens, and continues to support workshops, newsletters, and an information center with 1,600 entries for advisers. After earlier successes on insect pest management in North America or with resource-poor farmers in developing countries, Europe is set to become a source of renewed inspiration for IPM applied to conventional agriculture in industrialized countries and broadened to encompass all pest categories.