Integrated Pest Management for Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture in Asia and Africa

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a leading complement and alternative to synthetic pesticides and a form of sustainable intensification with particular importance for tropical smallholders. Global pesticide use has grown over the past 20 years to 3.5 billion kg/year, amounting to a global market worth $45 billion. The external costs of pesticides are $4€“$19 (‚¬3€“15) per kg of active ingredient applied, suggesting that IPM approaches that result in lower pesticide use will benefit, not only farmers, but also wider environments and human health. Evidence for IPM’s impacts on pesticide use and yields remains patchy. We contribute an evaluation using data from 85 IPM projects from 24 countries of Asia and Africa implemented over the past twenty years.

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Type of ALiSEA product None
Title Integrated Pest Management for Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture in Asia and Africa
Description Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a leading complement and alternative to synthetic pesticides and a form of sustainable intensification with particular importance for tropical smallholders. Global pesticide use has grown over the past 20 years to 3.5 billion kg/year, amounting to a global market worth $45 billion. The external costs of pesticides are $4€“$19 (‚¬3€“15) per kg of active ingredient applied, suggesting that IPM approaches that result in lower pesticide use will benefit, not only farmers, but also wider environments and human health. Evidence for IPM’s impacts on pesticide use and yields remains patchy. We contribute an evaluation using data from 85 IPM projects from 24 countries of Asia and Africa implemented over the past twenty years.
Agroecology Category
  • Integrated systems
  • Input reduction and recycling
  • Soil health
  • Economy and income
  • Nutrition and diets
  • Sustainable food system
  • Biodiversity
  • Climate
  • Natural resources governance
  • Water management
  • Knowledge and values
Agroecology Keyword
  • Agroforestry
  • Conservation agriculture
  • Allelopathy
  • Biological control
  • Crop protection
  • Integrated pest management
  • Soil fertility
  • Soil health
  • Income diversification
  • Family farming
  • Income
  • Human health
  • Nutrient
  • Yield increase
  • Food security
  • Biodiversity
  • Intercropping
  • Habitat
  • Climate change
  • Climate resilience
  • Land management
  • Water management
  • Beliefs
Contributing organisations
Author Jules Pretty and Zareen Pervez Bharucha
Year 2015
Type of document Factsheet
Language English
Spatial Information
Country Asia
Administrative Level 1
Administrative Level 2
Web Link