LONDON – As a persistent organic pollutant under the Stockholm Convention, the hazardous insecticide Endosulfan needs to be phased out globally.
A new report and video series show how farmers are using safer alternatives to manage the Coffee Berry Borer – a tiny beetle which can cause serious damage to the coffee beans.
Growing Coffee without Endosulfan, is a joint report produced by the Pesticide Action Network, the 4C Association and the Sustainable Coffee Program to identify the key lessons for farmers, agronomists and suppliers, on how farms have been successful in stopping the use of Endosulfan.
The prohibition of Endolsufan has presented great challenges to many farmers, who had used it to control the coffee berry borer, a vehement coffee pest.
This project has developed a collection of ‘good stories from the field’ and other materials including videos to help communicate alternative pest control techniques (IPMs) and substitutes not widely available to growers.
An overview of successful IPM methods is available on the 4C website here. From the overview, links are available to videos, in which farmers discuss the methods they use, the costs and benefits, their personal tips and recommendations, and more detailed guidance documents. The documentation is complemented by farm case studies and supplementary information.
The findings of this report help to increase productivity at farm level, back the credibility of the sustainability claims, as well as promote compliance with international and national laws and regulations.
The full report can be found here: http://www.sustainablecoffeeprogram.com/en/resources.
Source: ICO
