Punjab adopts IPM process to reduce health hazards

MULTAN: Combining various methods, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) reduces insecticide use while maintaining crop quality through year-round monitoring.

Conservation of beneficial insects is an important part of IPM that helps reduce the need for pesticide sprays. Cotton crop needs pest control, growers now have access to ‘selective’ insecticides, which only affect the target pests and help conserve beneficial insects in the crop. More than two and half years of practice and trials of IPM have proved successful at all levels across the province.

The Punjab government as a matter of principle has decided to adopt and promote the successful and encouraging trials of IPM across the province. The South Punjab Secretary Agriculture Saqib Ali Atil took the initiative of IPM techniques and he developed model plots in districts for three years of trials of IPN.

The successful practices delivered goods, then the government decided to adopt IPM techniques for all the small and big growers of cotton. Experts and scientists believe Integrated Pest Management is a science-based decision-making process that combines tools and strategies to identify and manage pests. It is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks. Pests are any organisms that pose health, environmental, economic, or aesthetic risks.

An organism that is a pest in one environment may be benign or beneficial in others. IPM is relevant in all areas where pests may exist, including agriculture, forests, parks, wildlife refuges, and military bases, as well as residential and public areas, such as schools and public housing. Scientists say IPM provides economic, health, and environmental benefits.

IPM practitioners use knowledge of pest and host biology in combination with biological and environmental monitoring to respond to pest problems with management tactics designed to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage; to minimize the risk to people, property, infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment; and reduce the evolution of pest resistance to pesticides and other pest management practices.

Talking to The News, South Punjab Agriculture Secretary Saqib Ali Atil has said that the IPM model has become a part of regular cotton production technology, so the field staff has officially conveyed to every farmer and guided them about its usefulness on cotton. He said that this year too the cotton crop will face various challenges for which the farmers have to do timely planting, selection of approved varieties and better preparation of the land. Field teams to the farmers guide breaking the hard layer of the land in the training programs.

He said that according to the instructions of Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, the involvement of local public representatives and administration is necessary to make the cotton campaign successful. The participation of public representatives should also be ensured in farmer training programs and divisional and district monitoring committees. He further said that the management plan should also be improved to achieve higher production of cotton.

The market should be strictly monitored to ensure the supply of quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides at the prescribed rates. The farmers were also informed about the balanced and proportionate use of fertilizers because it keeps the crop healthy and consequently increases the profit of the farmers by increasing the yield. Saqib Ali Atil said that the target of cotton sowing has been set in South Punjab this year on an area of 35, 66000 acres.

He further said that the farmers should be fully guided to take care of the cotton crop and they should be advised to avoid spraying agricultural poisons against any insect attack for the first 60 days, he added. While highlighting the benefits of IPM, scientists say that the adoption of IPM strategies provides economic benefits due to sustained development, increased productivity and reduced pest damage. The options that IPM can offer make sole reliance upon synthetic pesticides a thing of the past. In the long-term, everyone benefits through a healthier environment.

An IPM approach integrates preventive and corrective measures to keep pests from causing significant problems, with minimum risk or hazard to humans and desirable components of their environment. IPM is a flexible, dynamic strategy, which needs updating periodically as information is received from management practice results. IPM programs have proven a track record of significantly reducing the risks related to pesticides while improving the quality, health and welfare of the environment.

The IPM promotes sound structures and healthy plants. It promotes sustainable bio-based pest management alternatives. It reduces the environmental risk associated with pest management by encouraging the adoption of more ecologically benign control tactics. It reduces the potential for air and groundwater contamination. It protects non-target species through the reduced impact of pest management activities.

It reduces the need for pesticides by using several pest management methods. It reduces or eliminates issues related to pesticide residue. It reduces or eliminates re-entry interval restrictions. It decreases worker, tenant and public exposure to pesticides. It alleviates public concern about pest and pesticide-related practices. It maintains or increases the cost-effectiveness of a pest management program.