Hyderabad

FIELD UNIT

ECI FIELD UNITS:

Eco-Conservation Initiatives (ECI) has collaboration with Faran Sugar Mills Ltd. Hyderabad (Sindh) for implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of sugarcane pests in the Mills area. It has a Field Unit at Mills premises to take care of about 25,000 acres of sugarcane crop.

Faran Sugar Mills has sponsored this programme for its farming communities for quality sugarcane production and crop protection against insect pests. The staff of ECI-IPM Field Station is responsible to monitor the sugarcane crop in Mills zone, provide advice & guidance on IPM of sugarcane pests to the farming communities and protect the sugarcane growing area in case of any flare up of insect pests.

The farming communities were being provided advisory services free of cost for the last many years. However since the year 2001, Mills management has undergone a policy shift regarding supply of these services to the farming communities. Since last year farmers are being charged for these services instead of free delivery. Because of their usefulness, farming communities have welcomed Mills policy and are paying for these services. This initiative has leveled the ground for promotion and large-scale implementation of IPM of various crops in different areas of Pakistan in collaboration with other development networks.

ECI recently organized a daylong field visit for staff of National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) to ECI-IPM Field Station in Hyderabad area on 31 January 2002. The ten-member NRSP team was led by Mr. Azam Khan Tareen who coordinated with ECI Team Leader Mr. Azhar Qureshi who made all the visit arrangements. During this visit, the participants were given a broad overview of IPM concepts, approach, methodology and involvement of farming communities to materialize the holistic concept of IPM. The team was provided opportunity to go thorough different stages of insect rearing in the laboratory, interact with the farming communities and make analysis of the future prospects of this program. At the end of the visit, the participants were highly convinced about success of these organized services.

• Note for Record on Training of Master Trainers from Community Organizations of National Rural Support Programme, Hyderabad Region
  ( Hyderabad, Sindh, 9 - 13 August 2002 )
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