Integrated Pest Management - Design and application of feasible and effective strategies

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) finally, after 50 years of development, will become the European standard in crop protection policy, according to the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (DIRECTIVE 2009/128/EC) to be implemented by 2014. This directive is aimed at establishing minimum rules for the pesticide use in the EU in order to reduce risks to human health and the environment from the use of pesticides.
IPM is a strategic approach towards crop protection aiming at effective and feasible approaches that safeguard the quality and quantity of the agricultural production whilst minimizing the impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment. IPM is part of a more comprehensive concept of Integrated Production that targets overall sustainability of the agricultural production on farms.
The International Organization of Biological Control (IOBC) started already in 1956 with the first meeting of European pioneers in biological control and evolved into an independent world-wide scientific organization (www.iobc-wprs.org ). IOBC’s expertise covers all aspects of sustainable crop protection and production in major annual and perennial crops. IOBC strongly advocates Integrated Production – a concept of sustainable agriculture developed since 1976 which has gained international recognition and application. The concept is based on the careful use of natural resources and regulating mechanisms to replace potentially polluting inputs. The agronomic preventive measures and biological/physical/chemical methods are carefully selected and balanced taking into account the protection of both, the health of farmers and consumers, and of the environment.
IOBC established over the last 20 years the general concept and crop specific guidelines for Integrated Production for the major crop in Europe. The current set of IP guidelines and related tools has proven helpful and inspirational for farmers’ organizations looking for a feasible way to work with Integrated Production in the premium food segment. Further information and technical details can be found on the website of the IOBC Commission on Integrated Production Guidelines and Endorsement.
In this booklet we bring together in a condensed form the expertise on IPM from the IOBC work as a helping hand for all those who are involved in establishing IPM in practice. We hope you find it inspirational and useful.