Plant clinics in Asia: reducing the use and risks of pesticides

Abstract

SummaryOne of the key aims of the Plantwise programme, led by CABI, is to reduce pesticide misuse. Through plant clinics, farmers are provided with a range of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) options by plant doctors who emphasize pest monitoring and prevention options before direct control measures. Country surveys carried out in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam in 2017 revealed that, after attending plant clinics, both men and women farmers had reduced the frequency of pesticide applications on their crops, replaced the most toxic chemicals with safer alternatives, increased the use of non-chemical options to tackle pests and diseases, stopped applying pesticides on the advice of friends and agrodealers, and reported a dramatic decrease in health problems. Key highlights Farmers have dramatically reduced the number of pesticide applications on their crops. While the number of farmers not spraying at all increased from 2.1% to 19.3% after visiting a plant clinic, the number of farmers who applied pesticides at least three times per crop dropped from 73.6% to 29.55%. After receiving advice from plant doctors to stop using the most toxic chemicals, farmers are using safer alternatives. With a greater understanding of the health and environmental costs of pesticides, increasing numbers of farmers have switched to non-chemical cultural methods (49.5%, up from 14.75%). After visiting a plant clinic, farmers are much less likely to rely on their own experiences or the advice of agro-dealers regarding pesticide use. After visiting a plant clinic, farmers reported a dramatic drop (81%) in health problems experienced as a result of pesticides. 100% of men and women stated that they were happy with the performance of plant clinics. CABI CASE STUDY 20 ContextPests and diseases are a major constraint to food security, income generation and world trade. Worldwide, an estimated 70,000 different pest species damage agricultural crops. Global potential losses due to pests has been estimated to vary from about 50% in wheat to more than 80% in cotton production, with weeds producing the highest potential losses overall (34%) compared to animal pests (18%) and pathogens (16%) (Oerke, 2006).To reduce and prevent crop losses, farmers have increasingly turned to pesticides. Yet, despite a significant increase in pesticide use, crop losses have not significantly decreased. About 3 billion tons of pesticides are applied each year across the world, yet pests, insects, weeds and plant pathogens destroy about 40% of all crops, valued at US$2 trillion (Pimentel, 2009). Pesticides are also being overused and used incorrectly, leading to human health and environmental concerns.