The International Pesticide Application Research Consortium (IPARC), previously the International Pesticide Application Research Centre and before that the Overseas Spray Machinery Centre (OSMC), has focused on

pesticide application Pesticide application refers to the practical way in which pesticides (including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, or nematode control agents) are delivered to their ''biological targets'' (''e.g.'' pest organism, crop or other plant). ...

methods appropriate for

smallholder A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model. Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technology ...

farmers since 1955. It is now a research and training group whose purpose is to promote practical and cost-effective techniques, wherever possible reducing the use of chemical pesticides, as part of

Integrated Pest Management Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC) is a broad-based approach that integrates both chemical and non-chemical practices for economic control of pests. IPM aims to suppress pest populations below the eco ...

(IPM). IPARC has been an integral part of pesticide research and teaching at

Silwood Park Silwood Park is the rural campus of Imperial College London, England. It is situated near the village of Sunninghill, near Ascot in Berkshire. Since 1986, there have been major developments on the site with four new college buildings. Adjacent ...

and has specialised in the needs of small-holder

farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer ...

, application techniques for migrant pests and control of

disease vector In epidemiology, a disease vector is any living agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen to another living organism; agents regarded as vectors are organisms, such as parasites or microbes. The first major discovery of a disease v ...

s. IPARC is a

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...

(WHO) collaborating centre.

Objectives

Besides teaching at postgraduate level and carrying out bespoke training, staff carry-out consultancy work for international organisations and commercial companies. Core expertise includes: * Long-standing knowledge base on selection and use of sprayers appropriate for the developing world and seeing pesticide application as part of

(IPM). * Pinpointing the target for control techniques: and bridging the gap between laboratory and field via appropriate formulation and application; this has proved especially valuable in the development of

biological pesticides A Biopesticide is a biological substance or organism that damages, kills, or repels organisms seens as pests. Biological pest management intervention involves predatory, parasitic, or chemical relationships. They are obtained from organisms inclu ...

(''e.g.'' participation in

LUBILOSA LUBILOSA was the name of a research programme that aimed at developing a biological alternative to the chemical control of locusts. This name is an acronym of the French title of the programme: Lutte Biologique contre les Locustes et les Saute ...

). * Making application technology more accurate - research on development of nozzles, ''etc''. * Ensuring quality of equipment - standards setting for application equipment and sprayer testing to ensure users get value for money. * IPARC’s activities are endorsed by the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) and they include evaluation of

application Application may refer to: Mathematics and computing * Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks ** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a c ...

equipment (''e.g.'' compression sprayers) used for

mosquito control Mosquito control manages the population of mosquitoes to reduce their damage to human health, economies, and enjoyment. Mosquito control is a vital public-health practice throughout the world and especially in the tropics because mosquitoes spr ...

. * Participatory

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

of farmers and trainers; providing manuals & books to assist in IPM training world-wide.Bateman R (2010) ''Pesticide Use in Cocoa: A Guide for Trainers, Administrative and Research Staff''. 2nd Edition. International Cocoa Organisation. 70 pp. available on http://www.icco.org/sps

References

External links

International Pesticide Application Research Consortium

Silwood Park Campus
{{Imperial College London Education in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Research institutes of Imperial College London Pesticides in the United Kingdom Research institutes in Berkshire World Health Organization collaborating centres

Objectives

See also

References

External links