The contribution of Integrated Pest Management to sustainable agriculture - a project by Deblina Saha and Ramkesh Meena

Scope: 

         IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, mechanical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks. It reduces the amount of chemical pesticides by using three possible approaches:
1. Mechanical: Limits the pest's access to food, water and harborage sites.
2. Biological: Introduction of a natural enemy of the pest.
3. Chemical: Pesticide applications that have minimal risks associated with their use, or application in exact quantities.

        The extent of damage caused by the pests to agricultural crops varies from crop to crop. It can be as low as 8% or as high as 70% as in case of fruit and shoot borer of brinjal plant.

        IPM usage has the following benefits for sustainable agriculture:
1) Does away with the harmful effects of pesticides on environment
2) Freedom from adverse effects of pesticide on the health of the farmers practising IPM
3) Cost reduction, increase in profitability
4) Reduction of bio-magnification
5) Enhances Soil Productivity
6) Reduction in number of pesticide resistant pests

Methodology:

         We plan to review the IPM practices being followed in India currently and compare them with the practices followed abroad and also analysis the existing gap and suggest methods of bridging the gaps.
Further, for a project pilot we plan to coordinate with the Entomology department of Anand Agricultural University, and encourage the following of IPM practices in a certain region of Anand. We would then compare the results obtained as a result of IPM practices being followed with that of past practices, as to whether there has been any leap taken towards sustainable agriculture by following IPM.