Ecological Engineering for Rice Insect Pest Management: The Need to Communicate Widely, Improve Farmers’ Ecological Literacy and Policy Reforms to Sustain Adoption

Agronomy

Monina Escalada¹  Ho-Van Chien²  Josef Settele³  Zeng-Rong Zhu⁴  Jia-An Cheng⁴  Kong-Luen Heong⁴  Zhong-Xian Lu⁵ 

[1] Department of Development Communication, Visayas State University, Baybay City 6521, Philippines;Department of Plant Protection, Mekong University, Vinh Long 890000, Vietnam;Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 06120 Halle, Germany;Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China;

关键词: ecological engineering;    entertainment-education;    adoption;    sustainability;    rice insect pest management;    rice farmers;   

DOI  :  10.3390/agronomy11112208

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Ecological engineering (EE) involves the design and management of human systems based on ecological principles to maximize ecosystem services and minimize external inputs. Pest management strategies have been developed but farmer adoption is lacking and unsustainable. EE practices need to be socially acceptable and it requires shifts in social norms of rice farmers. In many countries where pesticides are being marketed as “fast moving consumer goods” (FMCG) it is a big challenge to shift farmers’ loss-averse attitudes. Reforms in pesticide marketing policies are required. An entertainment education TV series was able to reach wider audience to improve farmers’ ecological literacy, shifting beliefs and practices. To sustain adoption of ecologically based practices organizational structures, incentives systems and communication strategies to support the new norms and practices are needed.

【 授权许可】

Unknown