Ecological pest management for emerging pest problems

Meghalaya, a small state in the North Eastern region of India, is inhabited by different indigenous communities, mainly of Mongoloid origin. Of the approximately 2.3 million population, about 85 percent live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Due to physiographic features, shifting cultivation and Bun cultivation (raised beds on slopes) have been the predominant forms of agriculture. Traditional fallow periods of 20 - 30 years have now reduced to 3 - 5 years, mainly due to pressure from increasing populations. In response to this, the state government introduced..