Biological control in Africa

Biological control is potentially a key element in sustainable agricultural production in the tropics. The proceedings of a recent workshop held at IITA, Nigeria, document current achievements, problems and future prospects for biological control in Africa. Twenty contributors provide a wide-ranging review not only of the technical aspects of biological control programmes but also of the economic, social and institutional framework necessary to achieve sustained pest control using biological methods. Much of the current interest in biological control in Africa can be ascribed to the recent dramatic progress in control of cassava mealybug and cassava green mite using introduced parasites. This is clearly documented in the article by Dr Hans Herren who also outlines future develop' meets in biological control at IITA. The large scale of the mealybug control programme has tended to overshadow previous successes, here reviewed by Greathead who also suggests future possibilities for biological control in Africa as a whole. More general articles by J S Yaninek and M J W Cock on identifying pest problems and by P Neuenschwander and A P Gutierrez on evaluating the impact of biological control are of considerable practical importance and cover topics that have often been neglected. V Delucchi provides a stimulating discussion on the controversial issue of integrated pest management versus systems management, which he defines as 'management of agro-ecosystems from a phytosanitary point of view'. Important articles on institutional aspects of biological control include those by Dr R H Markham and E M Sicely on appropriate support for national programmes and by A Wodageneh on the constraints that national programmes face, all of whom stress the importance of training and of support for both basic and applied research. U Regev discusses the economics of sustainable pest control and uses the concept of 'risk avoidance' to explain farmers' preference for short term (chemical) pest control to longer-term more sustainable control measures. His analysis provides a salutary warning to anyone who thinks that biological control will automatically replace chemical control in the short term. This book provides a lively and up-to-date account of current developments in biological control in Africa which should be read by all those interested in sustainable agriculture in the tropics. Biological control: a sustainable solution to crop pest problems in Africa, edited by J S Yaninek and H R Herren IITA, Ibadan, NIGERIABiological control: a sustainable solution to crop pest problems in Africa, edited by J S Yaninek and H R Herren IITA, Ibadan, NIGERI