196 Agroecology and Sustainability
potential for better understanding and improved access of farmers to biocontrol
interventions, such as the employment of viral and fungal pathogens and the intro-
duction of parasitoids for pest management, is considerable. But it requires pro-
active action from a range of different stakeholders (research, private sector,
extension workers and farmers) so as to ensure that functional biocontrol can reach
its full potential. This would further assist the process of eliminating toxic prod-
ucts from vegetable production.
In Cambodia, the National IPM Programme, with FAO support, is currently
implementing a FFS-based farmer training programme in several major vegetable
growing areas in the country. Farmers who have undergone training are now run-
ning training for other farmers and are actively experimenting with growing crops
with lower inputs of pesticides. When interventions are indeed needed, farmers
now prefer to resort to biocontrol, using the biopesticide, Bacillus thuringiensis,
which has no adverse effects on farmers’ and consumers’ health.
Local NGOs, such as Srer Khmer, are actively supporting a self-sustained and
multiple season IPM learning process and are facilitating the mobilization of IPM
farmer groups and their associations. IPM farmer clubs are also increasingly becom-
ing interested in embarking on the production of organic vegetables for the local
niche markets. With the active support from the Government and NGOs, formal
education efforts are underway to give school children access to ecosystem educa-
tion, using the discovery-based learning methodologies employed in the FFS for
adults. The hope is that this will lead to greater ecological literacy among Cambo-
dia’s youth and future farmers.
Future Needs in Rice and Vegetable IPM
There is still much room for improvement for IPM. Indeed, the ecological view of
rice and vegetables presented here must be given greater support by international
and national scientists and policy makers to widen economic and ecosystems ben-
efits already being realized by some farmers. A new CD-ROM produced by IRRI
is beginning to bring together basic rice information in an accessible format, while
the World Vegetable Centre in Taiwan has developed a web-based study pro-
gramme. Both programmes could be helpful in training extension staff but still
remain distant from farmers. Major other challenges remain. Post-harvest pests are
still a problem and deserve greater research on non-toxic management methods,
and environmentally friendly methods of controls for all types of pests, especially
weeds and fungal pathogens, are required to reduce the pressure on the natural
resources.
Some countries are calling for major changes. South Korea has banned pesti-
cide use in Seoul’s watersheds and is promoting organic agricultural investments to
ensure both clean water and high levels of production. Other communities are mov-
ing away from grain maximization to diversification such as rice–fish–vegetable