Is Integrated Pest Management [IPM] fading out? I am taking refuge under AI to know!

Courtesy: Univ of Central Florida, USA As a member of QRT of the ICAR-National Research Centre for Integrated Pest Management [NCIPM], New Delhi, I had a good opportunity to understand implementation of IPM in various crops at the ground level in late 2010 and early 2020s. Most of these IPM projects were implemented by the ICAR-NCIPM in collaboration with the local institutions, with a fair amount of local agronomic practices and varying degree of biological as well as chemical inputs. The farmers seemed to be enthusiastic, as they were provided with inputs by the ICAR-NCIPM and local farm institutions. The degree of success ranged depending upon the crop and level of involvement. And this was reflected in the reduced use of synthetic pesticides, and yield advantage or cost-benefit ratios over the conventional crop protection practices involving pesticides. One merit that received less attention was pesticide-free or no-harm farm produce wh...