Program Profile

Description

Cornell is one of the few universities in the world with a unique historical commitment to international agriculture and advanced scientific capacity in an area that can broadly be classified as IPM. Our faculty and staff have been engaged in developing and disseminating knowledge about IPM worldwide for decades. However, in order to formalize our commitment and display our collective capacity, we have created the International IPM Program in order to bring together, focus and develop the wealth of knowledge and intellect at Cornell and to link these to international efforts and funding opportunities. Although Cornell faculty and staff focus on diverse sets of topics in IIPM, with the recent hiring of Dr. Peter Trutmann as the coordinator of International IPM at Cornell, priority and special funding has been provided for the following priorities:Soil Health Pesticide Resistance Management Biological Control Distance Learning Through Electronic and Traditional Methods These institutional priorities will be expanded as funding increases. Likewise, many other faculty-driven activities will continue as before but it is hoped that the IIPM program can foster these activities as well.SOIL HEALTHSoil pests (pathogens, weeds and insects) and soil structure and fertility are important limitations in food production in many developing countries and Cornell has tremendous capacity to provide research and extension solutions in these areas. Worldwide there is a need to raise an awareness of the concept and practice of soil health and to develop research and extension partnerships throughout the world.PESTICIDE RESISTANCEThroughout the developing world pesticide resistance is one of the most harrowing prospects for a decline in agricultural capacity. Pathogens, weeds and insects have all shown resistance to intensively used pesticides. As pesticides begin to fail, farmers will often increase the does which not only exacerbates pesticide resistance problems but also environmental and health concerns. Cornell has strong research and extension capacity which can help farmers and educators identify resistant organisms and devise strategies for managing such resistance.BIOLOGICAL CONTROLCornell is a world leader in developing biological control strategies for pest management. Cornell's existing program in Biological Control is a synergistic collection of cross-disciplinary efforts to control pests of food, cultivated crops and plants in natural settings through the development and utilization of organisms and/or their products which are antagonistic to pests. Thus, not only do we include traditional natural enemies such as insects and various microbes, but also other organisms such as plants which have been bred or engineered to resist pest attack.DISTANCE LEARNINGCALS is an institution with a tremendous capacity to help teach the world about IPM. Wherever one travels in developing countries one is struck by the fundamental lack of available education tools. Distance learning through electronic technology and printed material is fundamental to helping our partners improve their lives. Recently CALS has taken a tremendous step forward in developing a CD ROM-based library system in Mann Library which will allow partners in developing countries to access the latest scientific information. This WWW site for Cornell IIPM will also contain information on Cornell's capacity in IIPM areas such as faculty and graduate student interests and expertise. The potential for distance learning was a central theme in the recent (July 1998) workshop at Cornell and the technology for linking courses with China and Cornell can be utilized for a global classroom in IIPM. The world is becoming increasingly globalized in its information capacity and Cornell and its partners can serve a major role in bringing the world's information on pest management to bear on local problems.

Target Countries

No target countries have been selected.

Target Regions

No target regions have been selected.