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Strengthening Farmers’ IPM in Pesticide-Intensive Areas

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Starting a Farmer Field School: IPM in Chinese Kale

Some of the facilitators who in September completed the season-long Training of Trainers in vegetables IPM have already started organizing their own Farmer Field Schools (FFS). One of these FFS takes place in Suphanburi with a group of farmers who grow Chinese Kale, a crop which is infamous for its high pesticide use.

First meeting in Suphanburi

A first meeting was organized (8-10-2003) with a group of farmers to explain the objectives of the FFS. Interested farmers could register to become a member of the FFS. The facilitators then talked with the farmers about their current farming practices. From this it became very clear that most farmers spend a lot of money on pesticides and fertilizers. During the meeting it was decided that the FFS would meet once a week on Thursday morning. One of the farmers offered a part of his field to carry out IPM experiments. 

The farmers who showed up during the first introductory meeting.

Facilitators lead a discussion about the cropping calendar and farm inputs.

After the meeting, a visit to the field where the FFS will start next week.

First FFS session

The first FFS session (16-10-2003) started with a "ballot box test" to test the current knowledge of farmers about IPM, and to find out how well they can identify pests, diseases, weeds and natural enemies. 

Following the test, the first topic was "ecosystem". The farmers visited one of the nearby fields to observe and discuss which elements of the ecosystem play a role in growing a crop. After the field visit they prepared a drawing of it, which was used in a group discussion. 

Plans were made for the sowing of the crop during the following week. It was decided that there would be one IPM plot. In this plot, which measures about 3 x 90 meter, the crop will be managed according to decisions we make every week in the FFS meetings. It was already decided that in the IPM plot we would use organic manure at the beginning of the growing season.

A second plot of the same size was reserved to run a small fertilizer experiment, with three different levels of synthetic fertilizer. In the FFS, the farmers were divided in 3 smaller groups, so we decided to also have three replications in this fertilizer experiment. Each group will weekly observe one of the replications.

In the third plot, and the rest of the field, the farmers would grow the crop as they always have done it. This "farmer practice" plot is expected to be sprayed many times with pesticides.

Visiting a nearby field to observe elements of the agro-ecosystem.

A farmer explains how sunlight, soil, water, pests, and other factors all have an effect on the health of the crop.

Third FFS session

(30-10-2003)
The crop is starting to grow and the main part of the FFS session will now be used to make an agro-ecosystem analysis (AESA). To do this, the session starts with making field observations. Farmers and facilitators go together in the field and observe how the plants are growing. They measure the growth of the plant, look for pests and natural enemies, observe the weather and soil conditions, and talk about the health of the crop.

All these observations are then drawn on a big sheet of paper. While preparing the AESA drawing the facilitators interact with the farmers, asking them many questions. They compare the situation in the IPM plot with the situation in the farmers' practice plot. The farmers discuss the pest problems they have observed and try to think of ways to manage these pests in the IPM plot. 

The plants are still very small, but already a lot of pests were found, especially flea beetles. After a long discussion it was decided that in the IPM plot we would try to manage these pests with Neem and with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis). In the farmers' practice plot, the farmers sprayed a mixture of Cypermethrin (an insecticide) and Metalaxyl (a fungicide).

Some of the young plants are infested with flea beetles.

All observations are written on a big sheet of paper. While making this agro-ecosystem analysis farmers and facilitators discuss how to manage the crop in the IPM plot.

One of the farmers presents the AESA drawing of his group to the other farmers. The drawing shows all observations and also the decisions that were made to manage the crop.

Some of the pests that were found in the field are kept in a box for closer observations.

Detail of one of the AESA drawings prepared by the farmers.

(To be continued...)