Designing integrated pest management for sustainable and productive futures

Abstract

Pests have plagued agriculture ever since people began domesticating plants and animals. Over the centuries, farmers have developed a wide range of methods to combat these pests, but with varying degrees of success. In the 20th century, however, the introduction of commercial pesticides revolutionised pest control. These modern pesticides have helped to control and reduce crop and livestock losses to a remarkable degree. The use of these pesticides has, however, created some of today's major environmental and health problems: reduction in the abundance of diversity of wildlife, human health hazards associated with acute or chronic exposure to dangerous products in the workplace, and contaminated air, food and water.