Agro-ecological Approaches to Pest Management for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Even though the intensive crop production practices adopted in achieving green revolution (using heavy doses of fertilizers, indiscriminate use of pesticides and herbicides) led to enormous gains in food production and improved world food security, it had negative impacts on production, ecosystems, and the larger environ ment (causing environmental damage, pollution, reliance on fossil fuels), putting future productivity at risk. The food production in the developing world must be doubled, in order to feed the world’s growing population that is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Since there is no scope to increase the land available for cultiva tion, the increase in production should come from sustainable intensification of agriculture – getting more crops out of the same amount of farmland with less envi ronmental impact. In order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (which last until 2030) set forth by the UN (to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture), the increased food pro duction should be achieved through environment-friendly and economically sus tainable manner