Hands-on Integrated Pest Management Training Session in Senegal | A Successful Collaborative Action by Horticulture Companies
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) involves a combination of sustainable methods which can be applied to suppress and mitigate diseases and pest infestation. To help support the application of IPM within the horticulture sector in West-Africa, a training session took place at the demo fields of Agroseed in Senegal on 10 and 13 March, which was the result of a collective effort driven by the 'Skills for Horticulture' coalition.
Participants using a loupe to study insects on the vegetable leaf. Some participants said they had never used a loupe before, and found it amazing to see the details of the insects for the first time.
The coalition first began organising similar technical training sessions for their staff and partners in East Africa in 2021. The main purpose of this session was to enhance the practical skills of staff employed by Dutch horticulture companies with a presence in West Africa. The training was a collaborative activity of the coalition, an initiative started by Rijk Zwaan and HAS University of Applied Sciences, with facilitative support of the Netherlands Food Partnership
Participants joined the training to seek answers to questions such as, how to combine chemicals and biological solutions and how to make maximum use from the biological solutions available, whilst only using limited amounts of chemical insecticides? During the session they learnt about new products, how to effectively work with natural enemies, whilst practicing the use of loupes and sticky traps. They also became aware that biological solutions are already available for growers, and are very effective in bringing back the balance in the farming ecosystem.
“this was very useful training with a combination of theory and practice, especially seeing the insects and their behaviour in the field was very educational”
Participant
The training session was planned to coincide with the Rijk Zwaan in Senegal open days and yearly fair and assembly of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) in Dakar.
You can also read more about the work of the Skills in Horticulture coalition in this article that was published last year (in Dutch) in the Algemeen Dagblad and on the NFP website.
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