Expert Systems can Reduce Dependence on Harmful Pesticides

Every year, farmers face billions of dollars in crop losses from pests and disease. Despite huge investments in preventative measures, pest epidemics continue to cause severe hardship to poor farmers and developing country economies .

A major problem is that farmers don't have access to up-to-date information about safe pest control options. As a result, they either suffer the losses or resort to using harmful pesticides that are hazardous to their health and the environment. Compounding the situation is the fact that many developing countries depend on vulnerable crops for much needed foreign exchange. Yet, their export opportunities are reduced when harmful amounts of pesticide are used.

But there is hope.

A new ICT-KM project is developing a series of expert systems that will provide farmers with the latest information on the pest management of chickpeas, barley and wheat. The Utilization of Intelligent Systems in Plant Protection (UISPP) project includes knowledge acquisition tools and pest management knowledge data bases.

UISPP team members represent the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Expert Systems (CLAES), International Center for Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Dr. Zaid Abdul-Hadi, head of ICARDA's Computer and Biometric Services Unit, is the team leader. Working directly with farmers and through extension agents, the team expects to offer, by project's end, the human and technical resources to address safe pest control and related concerns.

Dr Richard E. Plant of the Departments of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Plant Sciences at the University of California recently conducted an independent evaluation of the project's first phase. He strongly recommended that phase two of the project be continued and identified a number of secondary uses for the expert systems, which can provide value-added at little additional cost. The UISPP team endorsed his recommendations and is currently seeking funding to complete the project.

As Dr Zaid Abdul-Hadi said, "We are confident that the project is on the right track to facilitate effective management of pests and diseases for a safer environment, better health, and increased profits."