Short-term reactive practices are control options for pests and diseases once they have reached a level where the economic losses are likely to be greater than the cost of controlling the pest/disease outbreaks and can be used to maintain or increase production. Pests and diseases are better detected at an earlier stage to make it easier to act and prevent severe crop losses and prohibit the spread of pests and diseases throughout the whole field, achieved through regular and systematic field inspections. The practice is considered climate smart as it reduces losses, which in-balance lowers greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of crop produced, it retains agricultural productivity through management of pest infestation and/or disease outbreaks, and is applicable as it can assist farmers adjust to changing climate, and the threat of new and changing pest diseases.
To effectively implement short term reactive practices:
- Step 1: Inspecting the crop regularly and systematically by walking through the field following an M-shaped pattern will ensure that the farmer does not just look around the edges, but also inspects in the middle of the field.
- Step 2: Farmers should carefully examine the crops for any signs of pests/diseases. They may be able to identify the presence of pests or disease through observing the following:
- If the plant is wilted.
- Are the leaves more yellow than usual?
- Are the crops smaller than usual?
- Do the leaves have spots?
- Have parts of the plan died?
- Step 3: Once the foreign specie has been identified, the farmer should employ a method to eradicate the issue thoroughly and immediately.
- CGIAR, 2017. Climate-Smart Pest Management: Implementation guidance for policymakers and investors. Montpellier, France.
- CIAT, 2016. Crop Protection – What we do: We work to combat the following pests and diseases.
- Kuivanen K., Alvarez S., Langeveld, C.,2015. Climate Change in Southern Africa: Farmers’ Perceptions and Responses, Review report, Farming Systems Ecology, Wageningen University, Netherlands.
Benefits
- Short term reactive practices eradicate the pest or disease.
- The aim is to protect the long-term health of the field/herd for the next season or growing period.
Drawbacks
- Pests and disease can have devastating impacts on both crops and livestock and can persist throughout growing seasons.
