Author : Susmita Dasgupta
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 28 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)
Book Synopsis Is Environmentally-friendly Agriculture Less Profitable for Farmers? by : Susmita Dasgupta
Download or read book Is Environmentally-friendly Agriculture Less Profitable for Farmers? written by Susmita Dasgupta and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Concerns about the sustainability of conventional agriculture have prompted widespread introduction of integrated pest management (IPM), an ecologically-based approach to control of harmful insects and weeds. IPM is intended to reduce ecological and health damage from chemical pesticides by using natural parasites and predators to control pest populations. Since chemical pesticides are expensive for poor farmers, IPM offers the prospect of lower production costs and higher profitability. However, adoption of IPM may reduce profitability if it also lowers overall productivity, or induces more intensive use of other production factors. On the other hand, IPM may actually promote more productive farming by encouraging more skillful use of available resources. Data scarcity has hindered a full accounting of IPM's impact on profitability, health, and local ecosystems.