The project H2020 IPMWORKS has launched an online platform for the transfer of knowledge in integrated protection. CONSULT It is a partner in the project and is supporting two farmers’ hubs in Portugal in adopting integrated pest management practices.
The platform, designated IPMWORKS Resource Toolbox, is an online and interactive library of resources designed for farmers and agricultural advisory technicians. It brings together alternative agronomic practices, decision support systems, case studies, economic analyses, training guides, and links to past and current integrated protection initiatives. It is available in several languages, including Portuguese.
A library built with farmers and agricultural advisory technicians
The platform was designed based on the input of farmers, agricultural advisory technicians and other stakeholders from across Europe. It was developed as part of the project IPMWORKS, funded by Horizon 2020 program under the grant agreement no. 101000339, and is based on an open source content management system, designed to progressively integrate resources from other initiatives.
Link to other European initiatives
The platform works like a search engine. It allows you to discover integrated protection features developed across Europe, including those from platforms. IPM Decisions e SmartProtect, Both funded by Horizonte 2020, and from the repository Organic Eprints. As they are developed and added to external databases, the new features are also accessible from here.
What is IPMWORKS
O IPMWORKS it is a network of agricultural holdings from all over Europe supported by the program Horizon 2020. The demonstrations in the field are based on cases of farmers who apply all components of integrated protection, at the center of the Sustainable Use Directive. The approach combines processes based on ecology, greater diversity and more biodiversity with technologies such as robotics, precision agriculture, decision support systems and biocontrol.
The network’s farmers work in small groups coordinated by agricultural advisory technicians, the hub coaches, to deepen the adoption of integrated protection. Quantitative data are collected that allow demonstrating that integrated protection is efficient and profitable and does not harm production performance. Given the increasing resistance to plant protection products and the need to reduce their use, this peer-to-peer knowledge transfer is one of the fastest ways to change crop protection methods.
Learn about the platform at www.ipmworks.net/toolbox and learn more about the project at ipmworks.net.