Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

Biological Methods:
250
Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Organic Vegetable Production
• Predation. Grass owls, black-winged kites, and leopard cats are considered as primary rodent
predators. Most other wild cats, including feral forms, are secondary rat feeders along with
monitor, lizards, and snakes.
• Habitat manipulation. A practical approach to pest management would be to modify habitat to
make it unsuitable for occupancy.
Integrated Rodent Management:
A community-based integrated rodent management (IRM) approach is the most effective and
efficient way to deal with rodent problems. This approach may include a combination of the
following:
• A rat damage assessment procedure for pest monitoring, whose index can be transformed to
crop loss estimate;
• A large body of reduction control procedures and management strategies involving physical and
biological means;
• A body of organized farmers and extension workers from local government units (LGUs) and
non-government organizations (NGOs); and
• A body of legislations, instructions, and related administrative set-ups responsible for
organization and implementation of rodent management at various levels of undertakings (e.g.,
national down to village levels).
However, for everyone to be effective, they must also learn to identify presence of rodents and
their runways, understand rodent burrow structures, and suggest practical management strategies.
Sharing of experiences among participants is very important in understanding rodent occurrences
in different areas. In this exercise, these shared experiences will be critically analyzed and used in
coming up with community-based rodent management options or strategies.
How long will this exercise take?
• Thirty minutes to one hour field walks, observations, interaction with farmers, and hands-on to
identify presence of rats and prepare, construct, and install rat traps and baiting stations;