A symposium and workshop on Insecticide Resistance Management was held in Subang Jaya, Malaysia on December 7th 2009. The event was organized and sponsored by the IRAC South East Asia with the assistance of the Malaysian Croplife and Public Health Association and the theme was “Bringing Science and Technology to Farmers in Insect Resistance Management”. It was a highly successful meeting with 52 attendees from the crop protection industry, Department of Agriculture and Regulatory, University and Research Institutions and an NGO.
Summary of the discussions and feedback:-
- The resistance issue is well recognized especially in the Plutella and vegetable market.
- There are programs by AgChem industry and Government Department and Institutes on resistance management but the strategies need to be synchronized and implemented effectively and timely.
- Educating and transferring the knowledge on insect resistance management to the farmers through Extension Workers and Working Groups is suggested to be implemented more often.
- In the future, product labeling should include Mode of Actions classifications and IRM statements so that the relevant authorities can make the right recommendations to the end users .
- The Pesticides Industry is suggested to collaborate with Government research institutions to come out with new technologies to address the resistance issue and ensure the new technologies are implemented effectively in the field.
- The Pesticides Industry is recommended to work under the CropLife umbrella to avoid bias among the companies in promoting their products for any particular programs.
- The group also emphasized that technology transfer should ensure that the distributors and dealers understand the principles and guidelines of insect resistance and help to transfer the knowledge to the growers.