Perception on biological pesticide by various levels of stakeholders in Nepal

Abstract

Government of Nepal (GoN) has been prioritizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy as the most important strategy after a sudden outbreak of Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) and heavy loss in rice production. GoN has been continuing IPM programs with the successful completion of different phases like technical cooperation, marketing and institutionalization. Awareness creation among multisectoral stakeholders is the most and major outcome through IPM program in Nepal. Plantwise, a global program led by CABI, has been working with GoN since 2013, for the improvement of plant health system. This program has also a good impact in the promotion of nonchemical strategies of pest management. Despite of having many national programs, efforts of GoN as well as different non-governmental and community based organizations; a significant progress has not been seen in the use of biological pesticides. This paper has tried to analyze the role of different stakeholders in the promotion of bio-pesticides along with other non-chemical management strategies viz. the trend of recommendations by plant doctors with the information retrieved from Plantwise Online Management System (POMS), perception of farmers as well as agro-input suppliers to the bio-pesticides, plant clinic interventions for bio-pesticides promotion, and policy review for finding reasons for less use of bio-pesticides in the field. Around 200 farmers who visited plant clinics and 50 agro-inputs suppliers from different regions were randomly selected for the survey with the developed questionaire. This paper is a preliminary review of secondary information on relevant policies, acts, regulations, etc. Major problem has been observed in agro-input suppliers among the whole cycle of biopesticide use.