Agroecosystem management for improved human health : applying principles of integrated pest management to people
Date
1998
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IDRC, Ottawa, ON, CA
Abstract
During the past century, both the agricultural and health sciences have become compartmentalized making great technical advances in relatively specialized technologies that generated significant increases in food production and reductions in human diseases. Although the primary purpose of agriculture is to maintain human health and human health depends upon agriculture, there have been few efforts to integrate the two. At a time when both realms of study are questioning the sustainability of their respective achievements, the concept is emerging that effective agroecosystem management may provide a cost-effective approach to improving human health. This hypothesis builds on an enhanced understanding of how the state and condition of agroecosystems links to human health. Experience gained by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) reveals a number of essential methodological elements required to support research intended to test this hypothesis. It suggests that the principles of integrated pest management that have been successful developed and applied in agriculture may be applicable to improving human health in the context of agroecosystems.
Description
Also published in: New Directions in Animal Production Systems. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society of Animal Science, July 5-8, 1998, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Edited by R.Blair, R. Rajamahendran, L.S. Stephens, M.Y. Yang
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Keywords
AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION, AGROECOSYSTEMS, HUMAN HEALTH, ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT