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India Govt starts pest management programme

The India government has launched an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - an eco-friendly approach which aims at keeping pest population at below economic threshold levels by employing all available alternate pest control methods and techniques such as cultural, mechanical and biological with emphasis on use of bio-pesticides and pesticides of plant-origin like Neem formulations. The use of chemical pesticides is advised as a measure of last resort when pest population in the crop crosses economic threshold levels (ETL).

Suppression of pest population below economic threshold level through the adoption of feasible and affordable Good Agricultural Practices aiming least disturbance to the eco system and environment.

The indiscriminate and unilateral use of pesticides was the only plant protection tool during sixties and seventies for sustaining of agricultural production potential of the high yielding varieties under the intensive cropping systems. This has led to several ill-effects like human and animal health hazards, ecological imbalance, development of resistance in the pests to pesticides, pests resurgence and environmental pollution as well as destruction of natural enemies (bio-control agents) of pests and increased level of pesticides residues in soil, water, food with the increased use of pesticides.

National Policy statement on IPM was made by the then union agriculture minister of India in 1985. Later on National policy on Agriculture - 2000 and National policy on Farmers - 2007 have also supported the IPM. It was also supported by the Planning Commission document for 12th Plan addressing the negative impact of chemical pesticides.