3.3 GAP, IPM and RPU/RU in practice

There is a commonly held view that pest control is best achieved within a framework of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - or more generally Integrated Crop Management (ICM). The practical implementation of ‘IPM’, a term first coined in 1967 by R.F. Smith and R. van den Bosch, has been a matter of considerable debate: especially in relation to the use of pesticides. 

The definition that has been agreed by the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), and supported by agrochemical bodies, several NGOs, and the International Farmers Organization is that:

“Integrated Pest Management (IPM) means the careful consideration of all available pest control methods and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimise risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms”  [1].