Development and Dissemination of IPM for Vegetables in Eastern Africa

Abstract

This document presents an account of the progress made and the experience gained during 1998-2001 in a regional initiative, ' Integrated Pest Management for Vegetable Crops: Development of Appropriate Technology and Dissemination Models in Eastern Africa'. This initiative was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with coMfinancing from the United States Agency for international Development (USAID). Coordination and scientific leadership were provided by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), while the national vegetable research teams (NVRTs), through the integrated pest management (IPM) advisory panels in the partner countries Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda implemented the jointly planned model on lPM awareness building. The implementation of the Initiative's objectives was conducted through farmer-participatory activities, including group learning and group testing of IPM. options in common plots based primarily on the farmers' field school (FFS) approach developed by the Food and Agriculture Orgai1isation of the United Nations (FAO). The focus was on developing a multi-season and multi-crop IPM awareness building model for empowering farmers through facititating sustainable access to IPM technology options at the grassroots. Another important goal was to build the research capacity of the national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES). This was addressed through MSc or PhD training aimed at filling critical gaps and widening the menu of promising !PM technology options for sustainable management of the major pest problems of vegetable crops.