IPMWORKS, a European network of pionneer farmers engaged to demonstrate cost-effective IPM-based strategies with low pesticide use
Résumé
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is based on a diversity of pest management measures
(prevention, non-chemical control, best practices for optimizing pesticide efficiency, etc.).
These are combined at the farm level to enable reduced reliance on pesticides, and therefore
a decrease in the exposure of the environment and people to pesticides. Rare pioneer farmers
throughout Europe are testing such IPM strategies and are succeeding in achieving good
outcomes with low pesticide inputs. However the majority of European farmers still rely
heavily on pesticides, with major environmental and societal impacts, because most of them
have not adopted a comprehensive, farm-level and holistic IPM strategy so far.
IPMWORKS is a network of farms involved in the demonstration of cost-effective IPM-based
strategies, launched in 2020 within the H2020 European program. The objective of IPMWORKS
is to promote the adoption of holistic IPM strategies, based on success stories experienced by
farmers. Farmers joining the network both progress further in the adoption of IPM – through
peer-to-peer learning, and joint efforts – and demonstrate to other farmers that holistic IPM
“works”; i.e. allows a low reliance on pesticides with better pest control, reduced costs and
enhanced profitability. IPMWORKS coordinates five existing national networks promoting IPM
(DEPHY in France, LEAF in UK, DIPS in Germany, GROEN-AoZ in the Netherland, and PESTIRED
in Switzerland), and launched new hubs of farms in regions or sectors where IPM pioneers
were not yet engaged in a relevant network. Advisors coordinating hubs have a major role in
facilitating knowledge sharing, coaching farmers to find their own IPM solutions, and
organising local demonstration activities. IPMWORKS stimulates access to the ‘IPM Decisions’
platform and provide information on the IPM methods. It collects data for comparing IPM
strategies, and share results and dissemination material through channels widely used by
farmers, broadcasting IPM success stories. It organises training, and produces training
material, targeting both farmers outside the network and advisory services, in order to
prepare for the future dissemination of the peer-to-peer learning approach and the general
adoption of IPM throughout the EU. The final objective is to initiate a general change in
agricultural practices throughout Europe, to reach the target of halving pesticide use, as
planned by the Green Deal of the European Commission (Farm to Fork strategy). The
demonstration of cost-efficiency of IPM is based on data describing the details of cropping
systems and pest management in farms involved in the network. IPMWORKS will also produce
a range of data of various nature for dissemination and communication purpose (videos of
farmers' testimonies, videos of demonstration events, leaflets describing cost-effective IPMbased strategies, etc.). During the ESA conference, the network will be presented, with first
results about the motivation of IPMWORKS farmers regarding IPM, the level of IPM adoption133
when joining the network, the level of pesticide use, and results of self-evaluation made by
farmers regarding the quality of pest control and about economic profitability.