ISHS Acta Horticulturae 672: IV International Symposium on Horticultural Education, Extension and Training
REVIEW OF VEGETABLE IPM ACTIVITIES THROUGH FARMERS’ FIELD SCHOOL (FFS) IN NEPAL |
| Author: | B.P. Yadav |
| Keywords: | horticultural education, pesticides, environmental hazard, Bacillus thuringienis, diamondback moth (DBM) |
| Abstract:
Nepal is one of the least developed nations with half of its people living below the poverty line. Horticulture is the main occupation in the midhills of Nepal, but the lack of knowledge among most farmers has caused the productivity of horticultural crops to decline. Horticultural education is one of the most important tools to alleviate poverty among the rural farmers. Farmer Field Schools (FFS) are a good non-formal educational approach to improve the farmers’ skills and self-dependence and to maintain sustainable horticultural development. The indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides on vegetable crops is raising health and environmental concerns in the country. IPM will be very helpful in educating the vegetable growers and consumers about the judicious use of pesticides for the prevention of health and environmental hazards. The use of pesticides generally costs more than IPM. Farmers think that pesticides are medicines rather than poisons and they are considered as a panacea. Misuse of pesticides not only kills the targeted pests but also beneficial organisms and there is an urgent need to conserve natural enemies. Diamondback moth can be controlled using natural predators. Nepal is rich in plant biodiversity and there are many herbs available to control pests. Therefore, botanical pesticides should also be used. Likewise, Trichoderma can be used for controlling soil fungi. Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) is doing research on Bacillus thuringiensis as an alternative method of controlling lepidopteran pests (Pieris brassicae nepalensis) of cruciferous vegetables. | |
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