Ecological Pest and Disease Management

Abstract

In many respects, farmers have a deep knowledge of insect pests and can identify many of them by name, yet farmers are often confused about beneficial insects. This contributes to an over-reliance on pesticides, killing the natural enemies of insect pests and disrupting ecosystems. Agroecological education could encourage farmers to conserve beneficial insects for pest control. For example, innovative farmers use natural techniques like herbal mixtures and ash for pest control, and certain fermented solutions with beneficial microorganisms attract weaver ants which control pests on cashew trees. While researchers can contribute to developing sustainable technologies, there are not enough of them to scientifically validate all of the worthy farmer innovations. Documenting and sharing local innovations can help to promote alternatives to pest management based on toxic chemicals.