Murree TOT Rawalakot
Update on Training of Trainers in IPM for the staff
of NRSP and their Community Orgnizations
18 August 2002
Rawalakot (Azad Kashmir)
A daylong Training of Trainers (TOT) in horticultural crops with focus on apple IPM was organized by the ECI-NRSP IPM Team at NRSP Rawalakot Region. The basic objective of this training was to highlight the concepts, methodologies and implentation strategies of IPM for the concerned staff and Community Organizations (COs) of NRSP, Tehsil Murree. On the suggestions of Malik Fateh Mohammad Khan, RGM Rawalpindi Region, the event was held at NRSP Rawalakot Region (Azad Kashmir) so that the NRSP staff from all the apple growing areas including Rawalakot, Malakand and Charsada could also participate and take benefit of this opportunity.
The arrangments for the TOT were made by Mr. Mohammad Rahim RGM and Mr. Rabnawaz, Social Orgnizer, Rawalakot Region. Beside the selected Master Trainers as well as NRSP staff from Tehsil Murree, the local staff of NRSP Rawalakot Region also participated. As a whole, there were 35 participants who benifited from this event.
The event was started in the morning with the welcome note delivered by Mr. Mohammad Rahim RGM Rawalakot. He welcomed the participants and expressed his gratitude for conducting such an activity in this area. In his viewpoint, IPM is the most appropriate technology that is needed for Rawalakot area in an organized way just as in Tehsil Murree. The number of apple orchards in Rawalakot Region are more in number than in Murree hills. Because of lack of IPM knowledge and skills, there was no proper arrangment for their protection from insect pests and diseases. In case of any pest or disease outbreak, the farmers usually resort to chemical sprays to get immediate results, which not only disturb natural balance but also creat insect resistance and pest problems. Therefore we wish to introduce and adopt IPM tehnology for protection of horticultural crops in Rawalakot area. Soon after the welcome note, the IPM team deliverd the presentations that were followed by interactive discussion.
The follwing major contnts were throughly discussed and analyzed for the common understanding of the participants:
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) leading towards Integrated Production (IP).
Different models of IPM
Benefits of IPM
Understanding cropping systems and pest association
Post-Harvest IPM
Achievements of IPM made in Pakistan
Persistant Organic Poullatants (POPs) and their impact on human health and the enviornment
IPM national policy for Pakistan.
In the last session, the participants were divided into three groups for an interactive exercise. They were provided guidelines to prepare an IPM model for horticultural crops in any agro-ecological zone. After the specified time the representative from each group presented his/her group findings to all the participants. The presentations were based on season-long crop managment for IPM of their target crops. As indicated by their prsentations they prepared their IPM models by proper planning. In their view point IPM activity must start in the begning of crop season with the selection of seeds / rootstocks till the period of crop harvest followed by Post-Harvest IPM activities. Each presentation was followed by interactive discussion among the group members. During the presentation the Fact Sheets on Persistant Organic Poullatants as well as Apple Woolly Aphid both in Urdu and English were also distributed among the participants in addition to other relevant written material.
The management of NRSP Rawalakot Region highly appreciated ECI-NRSP IPM team to conduct this event in their region. Following suggestion were made by them:
Disease infection is more serious than insect infestation on apple in the Rawalakot area. Therefore some attention may also be taken for management of diseases on apple in the Rawalakot Region.
The daylong session for IPM training is quite insufficient. ECI-NRSP team may consider arrangments to conduct 4-5 day IPM training for the staff and COs of Rawalakot Region.
To combat the disease infection in apple orchards in Rawalakot, Post-Harvest IPM training may also be conducted so that diseases could be drastically reduced in the active season.
The ECI-NRSP IPM team and NRSP Rawalakot Region may collaborate to develop an IPM project for promotion of horticultural crops in the area with financial support from some donor orgnizations.
The training event was concluded with vote of thanks from the organizers. Sunday, 22 September 2002 was selected as the date for next training that will focus on Post-Harvest IPM of apple in Tehsil Murree.
