IPM Works

About the project

In addition to IPM Decisions, the EC commissioned a complementary project, ‘IPMWorks’ to increase uptake of Integrated Pest Management, as part of their drive to reduce reliance on pesticides in Europe. IPMWorks demonstrates on-farm approaches across Europe, including in-field demonstrations of DSS in association with the IPM Decisions Platform. Data from IPMWorks strengthens the practical impact of IPM Decisions.  

Map of the future organisation of the IPMWORKS IPM Farm Demo network, highlighting existing national networks and new hubs, for the five agricultural sectors.

H2020 Project acronym: IPMWORKS

H2020 Project title: EU-Wide IPM Farm Demo Network

Grant Agreement number: 101000339

H2020 instrument: Coordination and Support Action (CSA)

Coordinator: Nicolas Munier-Jolain - INRAE (Dijon)

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreements No 101000339’.

ABSTRACT

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is based on a diversity of pest management measures (prevention, non-chemical control, best practices for optimizing pesticide efficiency, etc.). These are combined at the farm level to enable reduced reliance on pesticides, and therefore a decrease in the exposure of the environment and people to pesticides. Pioneer farmers throughout Europe are testing such IPM strategies and are succeeding in achieving good outcomes with low pesticide inputs. However the majority of European farmers still rely on chemical pesticides.

The objective of IPMWORKS is to promote the adoption of IPM strategies, based on a EU-wide network of farmers, who will both progress further in the adoption of IPM – through peer-to-peer learning and joint efforts – and demonstrate to other farmers that holistic IPM “works”; i.e. allows to reduce the reliance on pesticides with better pest control, reduced costs and enhanced profitability.

IPMWORKS will coordinate existing networks promoting IPM and launch new hubs of farms in regions or sectors where IPM pioneers are not yet engaged in a relevant network. Advisors coordinating hubs will have a major role in facilitating knowledge sharing, coaching farmers to find their own IPM solutions, and organising local demonstration activities. IPMWORKS will stimulate access to the ‘IPM Decisions’ platform and provide information on the IPM methods. It will collect data for comparing IPM strategies, and share results and dissemination material through channels widely used by farmers, broadcasting IPM success stories. It will organise training, and produce training material, targeting both farmers outside the network and advisory services, in order to prepare for the future dissemination of the peer-to-peer learning approach and the general adoption of IPM throughout the EU.