Final evaluation of the integrated pest management for Andean communities (MIPANDES)(no. 527-0372)

In general, MIPANDES has been highly successful. Most farmers have learned fairly well the life cycles of both Andean potato weevil and potato tuber moth and their relationships with the potato plant; how, when, and where to find each developmental stage (eggs, larvae, pupae, adults); and the relevance of all this to IPM techniques. Adoption of several IPM practices is taking place in virtually all community fields, and to a lesser degree in individual plots, though continual reinforcement by extensionists is needed to ensure long-lasting results. There is also evidence of some spontaneous adoption of IPM practices in non-MIPANDES communities. The more commonly adopted practices include: night collecting of adult weevils, earthing up, harvesting tubers on a piece of canvas or plastic, and use of live fences and of repellent plants and baculovirus on stored potatoes. However, the use of Beauveria is limited to demonstrations conducted by CARE extensionists, with a reported effectiveness of only about 10-40%. In terms of economic benefit, farmer surveys indicated that MIPANDES increased the proportion of uninfested or lightly infested potatoes being harvested for both consumption and marketing, while significantly reducing pesticide input costs and pest damage. Training programs and materials have been of superior quality and attractiveness and have stimulated greater involvement by women and children in project activities and other community affairs. A pesticide safety program has inculcated the "eight golden rules" of the Groupement International des Associations Nationales de Fabricants de Produits Agrochemiques (AGIFAP). MIPANDES also developed a sound system for monitoring the way farmers deal with potato pest problems, although the 1994 base-line diagnosis contained many weaknesses (e.g., lack of information on socioeconomic and political factors of importance to Peruvian farmers and paucity of quantitative data on crop pest damage, pest control costs, and monetary losses due to pest damage) that limited its use as an evaluation tool. The buildings that will house the two planned Centros de Produccion de Agentes de Control Biologico (CEPABs) are expected to be completed by the end of 1996. Training of future CEPAB operators has been completed, and production of biocontrol agents is expected to be underway during early 1997. CARE intends to continue supporting these centers for an undetermined period. CEPABs are high-risk microenterprises and their sustainability will require support in all relevant entrepreneurial, marketing, managerial, technical, and quality assurance areas, as well as assured inoculum. The contributions of the International Potato Center (CIP) have been essential to the success of MIPANDES. The availability of its ready-for-transfer IPM technology made it possible for MIPANDES to readily fill a major crop protection gap in the project areas. CIP also developed prototype training materials, which were later modified by CARE. The opportunity to receive training at CIP was highly valued by CARE extensionists. Conversely, MIPANDES has provided CIP the opportunity to be involved in IPM implementation throughout a vast Andean area. The report includes lessons learned in problem definition and IPM menu, adoption of IPM practices, training and extension methodology, and advantages and disadvantages of integrating MIPANDES with other CARE projects and of the CARE-CIP partnership. Also covered are criteria for training extensionists in IPM, and the appropriateness of including pesticide safety training in an IPM program and the relative importance of biocontrol in a non-chemical IPM menu.