The Bureau of Agricultural Research of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA-BAR) recently approved the project Developing Ecological Engineering Approaches to Restore and Conserve Ecosystem Services for Pest Management for Sustainable Rice Production in the Philippines, which it will implement over two years with IRRI in selected sites in Laguna and Regional Agricultural Research Centers in Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro provinces.
The project, led by K.L. Heong, IRRI principal scientist, will apply ecological engineering (EE) concepts introduced by the ADB-IRRI Planthopper Project to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services and reduce insecticide use. When EE practices are in place, rich biodiversity and related biological control ecosystem services are enhanced and vulnerability to planthopper outbreaks is markedly reduced.
EE practices, combined with government efforts to reducing unnecessary insecticide use, are now widespread in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, which has endured pest outbreaks since 2008. (Visit the Ricehoppers blog for more information.)
Several training workshops will be held for Filipino researchers and pest management practitioners on the following topics: EE approaches in the development of sustainable pest management; basic principles of insect ecology and sampling methods; and arthropod taxonomy and identification. Opportunities to interact and learn from other EE practitioners in China, Thailand, and Vietnam will also be provided.
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I am really impressed with the concept of Ecological Engineering and want to start a project work on Ecological Engineering pest management in Rice Ecosystem in Assam,India...What will be the pre-requisites to start this project ?
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