PAN Germany Project

Online Information Service for Non-Chemical Pest Management in the Tropics - OISAT
General Information

Download of our Flyer "Online Information Service for Non-chemical Pest Management in the Tropics - OISAT (pdf-file, 105 kb)

General Information

PAN's overall aim

To eliminate the use of hazardous pesticides, and to promote community-based control over a sustainably produced food supply, PAN Germany offers concrete alternatives with its Online Information Service for Non-chemical Pest Management in the Tropics, OISAT.

OISAT Info: Purpose

In developing countries, we still face continuing pesticide problems. Due to external pressures such as the imposition of maximum residue levels (MRL) for exporters of agricultural products, the privatisation of agricultural extension services and increasing health and environmental consciousness, there is a growing demand for information on ecological pest management and non-chemical crop protection approaches and techniques. The knowledge of alternatives to chemical pest control is being constantly developed - based on traditional, local and scientific knowledge. At the same time, training and extension programmes pursuing a conversion from chemical to non-chemical crop protection approaches and techniques often lack easy, low cost and large-scale access to relevant quality information.

OISAT Info: Concept

OISAT Info is a practical guide for trainers, extension workers and farmers on how to minimize pest damage in a safe, effective, and ecologically sound way. Its structure is based on the cropping season of the major crops, indicating key pests for each growth stage and plant part. Further, detailed information is presented on preventive and curative pest management practices with the aim of providing basic and practical information for a holistic approach in pest management, which is both flexible and situation-specific. The descriptions contain illustrations, photographs, and clear advice, together with a glossary of technical terms. Situation-specific information can be downloaded and compiled in tailor-made training material, which can also be translated into local languages for an effective transfer of the information to farmers.

OISAT Info: Beneficiaries

OISAT Info is for farmers

OISAT Info is for smallholder farmers, assisting them to produce key crops using safe and affordable preventive and curative non-chemical pest management practices within the concept of a holistic and bio-intensive crop and pest management. OISAT Info is for agricultural extension workers OISAT Info is a tool for trainers and agricultural extension workers, offering them an opportunity for quick access to up-to-date information for their agricultural extension delivery.

OISAT Info is for organizations

OISAT Info is for organizations that promote pesticide reduction, sustainable and organic agriculture and IPM. It has the potential to increase the impact of their training and extension work as it can be easily integrated into their existing approaches.

OISAT Info: Contents

OISAT Info is an easy to read and comprehensible web-based source of information for crop production and pest prevention providing affordable preventive and curative non-chemical pest management practices. The information provided by OISAT Info can be classified into the following major categories:

Crop category

The featured crops are those commonly grown by farmers for home consumption and income generation; such as grains, legumes, vegetables, root crops and fruits. The various growth stages of the plant are presented, with the corresponding pests, which attack the different plant parts during a certain growth stage.

Pest category

The featured pests are those, which attack the major crops grown by small landholder farmers. It is easy to follow with helpful photographs and descriptions for pest identification, which cover life cycles, host plants and damage symptoms. The principles of non-chemical pest management are presented, including natural enemies, cultural practices, plants with pest-controlling properties, physical and mechanical controls, and other solutions.

Control methods

The use of natural enemies is presented with photographs, descriptions for their identification and conservation, and the lists of their hosts' pests. The section on the use of plants with pest-controlling properties gives practical advice on plant extract formulations with the materials needed, methods of preparation and application, and the target pests. The section on the use of mechanical and physical controls provides guidelines on how to make traps and baits and easily prepare homemade formulations such as soap solutions, flour sprays, ammonia sprays, etc.

Library

The providers of the information or accessed information sources are summarized under References presented in user-friendly categories. The same categories are used for the presentation of full-text documents, which offer more in-depth information.

OISAT PartnerNetwork: Disseminating OISAT Info

OISAT PartnerNetwork is a platform for information dissemination, information sharing/exchange, and the integration of its online information into training and extension services through collaboration with relevant networks to ensure an effective and efficient information flow from web to field. For an effective outreach, OISAT PartnerNetwork aims at collaborating with training and extension networks and carefully identified information platforms. Feedback will be stimulated to further expand and adapt the content and service of OISAT to the needs of its users in the field, thus leading to a significant adoption of the information provided.

Sources of information and validation

The sources of information come from books, publications and other printed materials, websites, agricultural organizations, agricultural research results from universities and other institutions, farmers, extension workers, and other agricultural practitioners. Before publication, each manuscript for OISAT Info undergoes a peer review by experts working on related fields. The database is maintained by PAN Germany. OISAT will go online in July 2004.



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