Netherlands: Course Integrated pest management and food safety 2016 with fellowship opportunity

In recent decades, consumers have become increasingly concerned about the quality and safety of their food. Public and private standards for pesticide residues have become stricter than ever before. But while there are plentiful technical solutions, the application of Integrated Pest Management is still a struggle for many farmers.

The challenge of combining pesticide use and ensuring safe food

Making Integrated Pest Management work in practice

Increased awareness of the adverse effects pesticides have on the environment and the safety of our food has led to the need for more sustainable agricultural production systems. Integrated Pest Management and Good Agricultural Practices have become essential components of sustainable agriculture. The integration of various control measures, where pesticides are used only as a last resort, ensures that pests remain below the economic threshold, thus supporting food safety and international market access.

But without supportive and enabling policies and institutions integrated pest management will fail. The course is aimed at creating mechanisms that will support Integrated Pest Management though looking at pesticides-related policies, the role of the various stakeholders and innovative (technical) solutions. Participants will enhance their ability to identify and solve problems in Integrated Pest Management and food safety. It entails a mix of lectures, discussions, group work, excursions and fieldwork. Meeting colleagues from other countries with similar interests leads to mutual learning.

Course objectives

Upon completion of the course you will:

• better understand the role of primary production in food chains in achieving food safety;
• know the link between Integrated Pest Management, food safety as a result of primary production, and the protection of the environment;
• understand public and private food safety standards and certification;
• know the different roles of stakeholders in supporting the implementation of
• Good Agricultural Practices, sustainable agriculture and Integrated pest management
• be able to develop Integrated Pest Management strategies;
• know how to increase participation levels in integrated pest mangement policies and implementation through multi-stakeholder processes.

Target audience

The basic prerequisite for participation in this course is active interest and professional experience in this field. Participants should be proficient in English, and have at least a BSc degree or an equivalent academic qualification.

Practical information

Deadline: 25 April 2016

Deadline NFP/MENA:20 October 2015

NFP and Mena funding available. For more information on fellowships:

http://www.nuffic.nl/en/scholarships/netherlands-fellowship-programmes-nfp

http://www.nuffic.nl/en/scholarships/mena-scholarship-programme

For more information and online registration:

http://www.wageningenur.nl/en/show/CDicourse_IPM_2016.htm