9
Ecological Basis for Low-Toxicity
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in
Rice and Vegetables
Kevin Gallagher, Peter Ooi, Tom Mew, Emer Borromeo,
Peter Kenmore and Jan-Willem KetelaarIntroduction
This chapter focuses on two case studies primarily arising from Asian-based Inte-
grated Pest Management (IPM) programmes. One case study provides an in-depth
analysis of well researched and widespread rice-based IPM while the second study
focuses on emergent vegetable IPM.
The powerful forces that drive these two systems could not be more different.
Rice production is a highly political national security interest that has often justi-
fied heavy handed methods in many countries to link high yielding varieties, ferti-
lizers and pesticides to credit or mandatory production packages and led to high
direct or indirect subsidies for these inputs. Research, including support for
national and international rice research institutes, was well-funded to produce new
varieties and basic agronomic and biological data. Vegetable production on the
other hand has been led primarily by private sector interests and local markets.
Little support for credit, training or research has been provided. High usage of
pesticides on vegetables has been the norm due to lack of good knowledge about
the crop, poorly adapted varieties and a private sector push for inputs at the local
kiosks to tackle exotic pests on exotic varieties in the absence of well-developed
management systems.
However, other pressures are now driving change to lower pesticide inputs on
both crops. Farmers are more aware of the dangers of some pesticides to their own
health and their production environment. The rise of Asian incomes has led to a rise
in vegetable consumption that has made consumers more aware of food safety. Cost
of inputs is another factor as rice prices fall and input prices climb. More farmers are
Reprinted from Gallagher K, Ooi P, Mew T, Borromeo E, Kenmore P and Ketelaar J-W. 2005. Eco-
logical basis for low-toxicity Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in rice and vegetables. In Pretty J (ed).
The Pesticide Detox. Earthscan, London.