Training on ecological management of pests held at IRRI

A 2-week training on Ecological management of pests (rodents, insects, and weeds)--biological, economic, and social dimensions was held at IRRI, 19-30 March 2007. The main sponsors for the course were the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium and the Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The training covered an integrated ecological approach to pest management, which includes a combination of rodent, insect, and weed management as well as the social and cultural dimensions of technology transfer. During the course, participants were able to acquire knowledge and skills in using scientific approaches and computer technologies to study pest management at an agroecosystem level.

The course also included an understanding of the different processes and factors that influenced farmers’ decision making in pest management, in which participants developed different ways to effectively transfer knowledge to target end-users. A field excursion to interview local farmers using their newly acquired skills was a highlight for many of the participants.

Frezzle Praise Tadle (center) and her groupmates conduct a focus group discussion among farmers as part of their training. IRRC anthropologist Rica Joy Flor (rightmost, standing) guides them in their task. (Photo by T. Mendoza)

Fourteen participants from Belgium, Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, United Kingdom, and Vietnam attended and successfully completed the course. There were two PhD students: Vincent Sluydts working in Tanzania in eastern Africa and Alex Stuart working in Baler, Aurora Province, in the Philippines. Unfortunately, two of our colleagues from Africa had to withdraw a few days before the course began.

The course was facilitated by Dr. Grant Singleton, who was also the course coordinator, and Professor Charles Krebs (emeritus professor, University of British Columbia, Canada). There was an impressive
lineup of an enthusiastic team of resource people (from IRRI unless otherwise indicated): Dr. Lyn Hinds (CSIRO Entomology, Australia), Dr. David Johnson, Dr. Yolanda Chen, Dr. K.L. Heong, Professor Zhang Zhibin (Institute of Zoology, China), Dr. Bhagirath Chauhan, Dr. Debbie Templeton, Dr. Noel Magor, Dr. Flor Palis, Mr. Arnold Manza, Ms. Jo Catindig, Mr. Joel Janiya, Ms. Arelene Malabayabas, and Ms. Trina Mendoza.

(IRRI Training Center photo)

Engr. Eugene Castro, Jr., completed a monumental task in facilitating the training across such a wide range of disciplines. And, despite the competing demands on his time, he did this with tremendous
enthusiasm and somehow continued to be smiling at the end of the two weeks!

The participants found the training course to be challenging but in a positive way. They rated it as a great success. We are confident that the participants will be excellent emissaries for what we see as an exciting advance in pest management over the next decade—community-based ecological management.

Community in this context has a deliberate double meaning; a community of smallholder families involved
in the management of a community of pest species (insects, rodents, and weeds).

The main sponsors for the course were the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium, the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, LEARN IT (Linking
Extension and Research Needs through Information
Technology), and the Rice-Wheat Consortium.

Grant Singleton (g.singleton@cgiar.org)
 

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