Integrated Pest Management
Controlling pests that damage crops and plants is necessary both to safeguard food security and to ensure viable income to farmers for their production. This needs to be done while minimising the risks to people and the environment. Such an approach, using natural methods whenever possible and chemical pesticides as last resort, is called Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
The DataM database
Today, the European Commission published a database in DataM presenting an overview of the IPM methods currently available, accompanied by a study assessing their effectiveness and prospects for their further uptake.
The database includes about 1300 examples of practices, techniques and technologies across eight IPM principles established at EU and international level, and 273 “crop-specific guidelines” developed by Member States’ national authorities and public bodies to implement the IPM requirements under the Sustainable Use of pesticides Directive (SUD).
The database will be updated with additional examples on a regular basis.
The study
In parallel to this large overview, a study explores current IPM practices and their potential to help to reduce the dependency on chemical pesticides, their cost for implementation and their overall effectiveness. The study also investigates the key factors affecting the reduction of dependency on pesticide use and the key barriers and drivers associated with it.
The study consists in a final report with a summary available in English and French.
Know more
For more details, please consult the official news by the European Commission Directorate General for Agriculture and rural development.
