92 Agricultural Harm to the Environment
to catalyse the innovative capacity of farmers, as exemplified by how a graduate has
improved cut foliage insect traps tested in his FFS (in Paredes, 2001):
I always put out the traps for the Andean weevil, even if I plant 100 [bags of seed]
because it decreases the number of adults. It is advantageous because we do not need to
buy much of that poison Furadan. But I do use them differently. After ploughing, I
transplant live potato plants from another field, then I do not need to change the dead
plants every eight days.In an iterative fashion, FFS participants conduct learning experiments on com-
parative (conventional vs IPM) small plots (about 2500m^2 ) to fill knowledge gaps
and to identify opportunities for reducing external inputs while improving pro-
duction and overall productivity. After two seasons, initial evaluation results in
three communities were impressive. Through the use of alternative technologies,
such as Andean weevil traps, late blight resistant potato varieties, specific and low
toxicity pesticides, and careful monitoring before spraying, farmers were able to
decrease pesticide sprays from 12 in conventional plots to seven in IPM plots while
maintaining or increasing production (Barrera et al, 2001). The amount of active
ingredient of fungicide applied for late blight decreased by 50 per cent, while
insecticides used for the Andean weevil and leafminer fly (Liriomysa quadrata),
that had commonly received the highly toxic carbofuran and methamidophos,
decreased by 75 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.
Average yields for both conventional and IPM plots were unchanged at about
19t/ha but net returns increased as farmers were spending less on pesticides. FFS
participants identified how to maintain the same level of potato production with
half the outlay in pesticides and fertilizers, decreasing the production costs from
about $104 to $80 per tonne. Because of the number of farmers involved in FFS
test plots, it was difficult to assess labour demands in the economic analysis.
Nonetheless, farmers felt that the increased time for scouting and using certain
alternative technologies, such as the insect traps, would be compensated by
decreased pesticide application costs, not to mention decreased medical care vis-
its. A recent ex-post study that INIAP will publish in early 2004 has confirmed
this trend at the level of individual farms of FFS graduates in Carchi (Barrera
et al, in press).
In addition to the intensive six-month FFS experience, EcoSalud staff visited
individual households to discuss pesticide safety strategies such as improved stor-
age of pesticides, PPE, use of low volume nozzles that achieve better coverage with
less pesticide, and more consistent hygienic practices. Based on widespread disin-
terest in PPE, we were surprised when participants began to request help in finding
high quality personal protective equipment, that they said was unavailable at the
dozens of local agrochemical vendors. EcoSalud staff found high quality PPE
(mask, gloves, overalls and pants) through health and safety companies in the cap-
ital city, costing $34 per set, the equivalent of over a week’s labour at the time. The
project agreed to grant interest free, two-month credit towards the purchase price