OVERALL SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS

The Expert Consultation, guided by the information gained from the country and other invited presentations and the ensuing discussions, appraised the status and various developing issues pertaining to the subject of Plant Pest Management Curriculum Development (PPMCD) in the region. The following are the overall summary and highlights.

Current Status and Developing Process

All participating countries have some form of Plant Pest Management Curriculum (PPMC). However, they are not uniform for several reasons, such as, unequal priorities accorded to different crops and pests in the different countries, different emphasis given to certain technical aspects due to different levels in development of plant protection science, unequal funding support, unavailability of needed resource expertise, and others.

Broadly, there exist two distinct kinds of PPMC in the region, i.e. university level and non-university level. The former is broad-based and has the goal to produce graduates to meet a wide range of job market while the latter is specific and a specialized training to empower farmers toward improved crop production. Presently, the latter exists only in a few countries in the region and is undertaken mostly by agriculture extension agencies. Because this approach has proven to be highly successful, there is strong interest to expand such a training programme, both within and outside these countries.

Updating and revision of PPMC usually take quite a long time (about seven to more than ten years). This is because the decision to make a change normally depends on large and centralized committees that comprise of senior and very busy officials who can meet only infrequently. Partly because of this, the emerging science and other newer interest areas (e.g. biodiversity, biotechnology, organic agriculture, and others) that have significant impact on plant pest management have not been fully included (or are inadequately addressed), thereby resulting in deficiencies in the existing curriculum.

Areas Needing Emphasis

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is now the central theme in plant pest management and has good prospect to overcome many concerns of pesticide misuse. Therefore, it is crucial to have a comprehensive treatment of IPM in the curriculum. The topics should cover the basics (e.g. historical development, rationale and principles, management tactics and their strategic application, operational constraints in implementation, others) to the more general issues (e.g. policies, institutional structures, human resource capacity and development, project development and funding, others). Particular attention must be given to the wide-scale implementation and operational strategies, drawing lessons from past failures and recent success cases. The newer approach, using non-formal and self-discovery methodology and involving farmer participatory training and research, should receive key consideration.

Because plant pest management deals substantially with field problems, practical work in the field should receive importance and adequate attention. Basically, the formal lectures and laboratory experimental studies will help to build a general knowledge and to provide the specific technical skills needed as backup tools for field decisions and operation. Practical work in the field (20–30%) must supplement these to ensure the graduates will have a practical outlook. The practical field work will enable trainees to experience the realities of pest problems normally faced by growers and will help develop the right kind of graduate with a proper balance of education around plant pest management. It is recognized that no amount of book learning/lectures can replace the benefits from direct and personal learning through self-discovery in hands-on activities in the field. This has been amply demonstrated in many farmer participatory IPM programmes in which are incorporated a high level of practical field activities.

New Aspects for Incorporation

In recent years, there are a number of major developments, both agriculture-related and otherwise. Examples include biotechnology, bioinformatics, and others. For instance, the information age has made available easier and quicker access of plant pest management information through huge and interactive databases captured in compact discs, such as the CABPESTCD, Global Crop Protection Compendium, Arthropod Name Index, AGRIS and others. In addition, various kinds of information relating to plant pest management are now also readily obtainable through the global Internet facilities. Awareness of such facilities and the ability to access them are crucial. All these are known to have significant impact on plant pest management programmes. However, they are currently either lacking or are inadequately addressed in the present PPMC. Hence, there is a need to incorporate or strengthen these aspects in the existing PPMC. Other new developments that need to be also included are subjects on biotechnology, biodiversity and organic agriculture. In addition, there are also more general issues needing inclusions, particularly those that have significant implications to plant pest management. Examples include those relating to globalization and trade agreements, such as that of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). Furthermore, the action plans of UNCED Agenda 21 and the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), and the import regulations under the FAO Code of Conduct for the Import and Release of Exotic Biological Control Agents, are also important areas that cannot be excluded.

Mechanisms for Upgrading Skills Relating to Curriculum Development

The IPM curricula in university and non-university level education have developed independently because of differing broad institutional functions and goals. However, the ultimate target objective is similar, aiming at helping growers to manage pests effectively through IPM. Yet these two groups of institutions generally are insufficiently aware of each other activities. There is urgent need to redress this and also to promote good collaboration so that these institutions can operate more efficiently to achieve the common IPM objective. Among others, an important consideration is to make the university IPM curriculum more field-oriented, participatory and applied in nature, while that of IPM implementing agencies having stronger technical contents. A mechanism to achieve this is through direct exposure of the personnel concerned to relevant activities that will help upgrade the needed skills. Several possibilities to achieve this were discussed and agreed to. These include:

1. out-sourcing of the required expertise (e.g. extension specialists from an IPM implementing agency with practical field experience) to help run the relevant field training,
2. attachment of students with extension specialists in their field programmes, and
3. in-service training for academic staff in specialized courses or short-term staff exchange exercises between institutions (both local and regional).

Follow-up Activities

Many universities in the Asia-Pacific region offer instructions in plant pest management. However, great variation exists in the course curricula being followed in the different countries. There is need to harmonize the course curricula to better facilitate exchange of students (and also experts) among the countries. To do so, a standard and basic structure of the core curriculum (including some optional courses) for plant pest management must first be developed. The universities in the region could then use this output as a guide to develop their respective course curricula, adding on whatever other optional courses according to specific local needs. Over time, it is expected that this process will help steer towards developing a harmonized course curriculum in plant pest management for the region. To initiate this process, participants at the Expert Consultation formed two Work Groups (A and B) to prepare the basic framework of the pest management curricula, one for university level (Group A) and other for farm level IPM implementation (Group B). Both these outputs (by Group A and Group B) are given below at the end of this section. It should be pointed out that these curricula framework serve merely as a guide only and do not contain the details that are normally required in curricula contents.

To develop the detailed curricula for both university and non-university level education that can be acceptable to all concerned, it was agreed that more time would be required to gather additional inputs and to further consult with other plant pest management specialists in IPM implementing agencies and the universities. This would require a specific working group to undertake the task. Although the group would need to proceed initially with developing the PPMC for the undergraduate level in universities, it should subsequently also formulate the course curricula for post-graduate degrees at both the Master and Ph.D levels. This is necessary because many pest management experts are likely to acquire post-graduate training in the future, although few of those completing the Bachelor degree presently have proceeded further to do the post-graduate programmes in plant pest management. For the post-graduate curricula, a deeper treatment of the topics would be needed besides the inclusions of new frontier areas, such as, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), molecular techniques, biodiversity, biosafety, Pest Risks Analysis (PRA), and others.

Since PPMC must be responsive to the ever-changing needs of farmers and the general agriculture industry, a regular review and monitoring of the PPMCD is considered desirable. In this regard, follow-up Consultations may be held to meet such a requirement as and when considered necessary.

OUTPUT OF WORK GROUP A

Proposed Framework of Plant Pest Management Curriculum
for University Education in the Asia-Pacific Region

Foundation (75%);
General requirements (20%)

Social Science
Foreign Language
Philosophy
Agriculture Economics
Law
Introductory Management

Natural Science
Computer
Physics
Biology (Botany, Zoology, Microbiology)
Chemistry (Organic, Inorganic)
Mathematics
Statistics
Genetics and Plant Breeding

Specific Courses (55%)
Introductory Agronomy
Meteorology
Soil Science
Plant Physiology
Plant Biochemistry
Introductory Agrobiotechnology
Introductory Entomology
Pests of Crops
Introductory Plant Pathology
Weed Science
Vertebrate Pests
Pesticide Management
Plant Quarantine
Epidemiology of Plant Diseases
Pest Forecasting and Crop Loss Assessment
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Biological Control of Pests
Ecology of Crop Pests
Extension of Agriculture Technology
Agriculture Machinery in Plant Protection
Seminars
Special Topics
Practical Work

Elective Courses (25%)
Insect Morphology and Physiology
Insect Taxonomy
Insect Pathology
Agriculture Acarology
Beneficial Insects
Urban Insects
Application of Computer in Plant Protection
Biological Control of Pests
Breeding for Plant Resistance to Pests
Agriculture Environmental Protection
Organic Farming
Diagnosis of Plant Diseases
Epidemiology of Plant Diseases
Post-Harvest Pests and Diseases

Remarks

1. The primary degree is a 4-year (8 semesters) academic programme.
2. Most of the courses on social science and natural science should be taken in the first and second year, while the specific and elective courses are to be taken in the third and fourth year.
3. The practical would include field experiments and other field activities in Plant Pest Management.
4. Special Topics refer to current/hot issues in Plant Pest Management.

OUTPUT OF WORK GROUP B

Plant Pest Management Curriculum for Farm-Level IPM Implementation

1. Work Group recommendations

Work Group B recognizes that farmers learn by experimenting, make careful observations and comparisons, identify and prioritize what they want to learn, discover and re-discover, and carry out analysis so as to make informed decisions. Guided by this, it makes the following recommendations:

• Integrate more field-based activities (e.g. learning from farmers, carrying out studies in farmers' fields) into the university curriculum.

• Include facilitation/learning methodologies in the university curriculum to help students work with farmers.

• Expose students to field implementation of IPM by visiting existing field activities or/and invite IPM implementers from successful programmes (e.g. FAO Programme on Community IPM in Asia) to share their experiences on field IPM implementation.

2. Characteristics of IPM/plant pest management training at farmer level

3. Example of Course Guide on Rice Farmer Field School (FFS)

(i). Objectives

By the end of the FFS, the participants should be able to carry out the following:

• Describe the development of the crop.

• Describe plant compensation and give an example of the importance of plant compensation for stemborer, leaf-folder, or disease management.

• Identify the ecological function, life-cycle and give the local names of major insect detritivors, insect pests and natural enemies seen in the rice field.

• Identify the local names and development factors of major diseases found causing yield losses in the field (if they exist).

• Identify rat damage, and rat habitat where appropriate.

• Describe snail growth, development, and ecological habits.

• Describe the toxicity of commonly used pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and molluscicides) and methods to avoid exposure to pesticides.

• Describe the effect of pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and molluscicides) on target pests, natural enemies, non-target pests, the environment and health of farmers and consumers.

• Describe the level of potential yield-loss given a particular field condition and compare with the cost of controlling the yield-loss factors (decision making).

• Describe the potential development of pests in the given field conditions (plant development and stage, weather pattern, plant resistance, water levels, pests, natural enemies, etc.). Compare this to the potential management costs for activities (irrigation, fertilization, pest control practices) that may be undertaken to improve yields and reduce impact of yield-loss components (decision making).

(ii). Farmer Field School Activities

The FFS is typically 10 to 14 weeks in length. The first session begins with transplanting or broadcasting and continues until harvest. The sessions are best held weekly (if beginning with transplanting), or less than weekly (if in direct seeded areas). Each session begins in the morning and ends before lunch (one half day). The typical contents of the FFS are listed below. The FFS participants may want to alter this schedule to focus on particular local issues.

Season-long Studies

a. IPM and farmer practice comparison trial: This trial is conducted on a 1000 m² plot supported by the FFS. 500 m² is used for the IPM field, and 500 m² is used for the “Farmer Practice” field. This 1000 m² field plot is used as the “Study Field” for the FFS. All other activities are also conducted in this field.

b. Field trials: The classical IPM studies on “Stemborer plant compensation simulation”, “Defoliator plant compensation simulation”, “Nitrogen efficiency including organic materials and impact of pests”, “Seed production”, or other studies, can be conducted in the field. Usually one or two of these studies are undertaken by the FFS depending on the major issues encountered by the FFS participants.

Topics on Specific Field Guide Activities

These are carried out in the field or adjacent to the field and covering aspects relating to IPM and Group Development.

(iii). Weekly Schedule

The following weekly schedule is a sample from a 12-week FFS. In general, it will be necessary to adjust the contents and schedule to local conditions, field problems and farmer interests.