Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

Manual 4:HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT FACT SHEETSEconomic,social andenvironmentalbenefits ofIPPMSome of the benefits include: pests are only controlled when they start to cause economic damage sooverall control costs are reduced lowering production costs costly and harmful practices such as cosmetic or routine/calendarchemical pesticide spraying are eliminated or minimised pesticide use is reduced through complete elimination of chemicalsideally or through reduced frequency of spraying and/or lower dose rates where chemical control is used, less toxic, less persistent, and/or moreselective chemicals/formulations, or even biological pesticides, replacemore toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative substances absence of, or lower chemical pesticide residue in food crops resultingin improved food quality and safety natural controls by insect predators, parasites or (fungal/bacterial/viral)diseases (pathogens) and by crop competition are maximised elimination of, or reduced pesticide use, and use of less toxic,persistent and bio-accumulative materials means there is less risk toworkers applying or exposed to chemical pesticides, as well as to nearbyfarming and rural communities, to watercourses, and to theenvironment in general crop damage from chemical pesticides is eliminated or reduced,including the problem of spray drift damaging neighbouring crops Trade union actionProgressmadeWhat makesIPPM work?Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) programmes indeveloping and developed countries have made significant progresstowards reducing pesticide use and associated negative impact on healthand the environment. It has helped make crop production moresustainable and improve overall plant protection methods, strategies andpolicies since the early 1980s.Despite its complexity, IPPM can and does work including systems forsmall farmers. Farmers become better managers of their agro-ecosystems(including pest and production aspects) because of improved ecologicalunderstanding. However, there are certain prerequisites if it is to work andthese include:government agricultural departments have to be committed to itsprinciples and have the knowledge and capacity to advise on IPPMthrough their field extension services. Independent, non-pesticideindustry advice is critical175 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers