This letter is written by members of “the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides” (www.tfsp.info) of which JM Bonmatin is vice-chair. It recalls the fundamental principles of integrated pest management in agriculture, defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Integrated Pest Management first and foremost promotes risk prevention, and allows pesticides to be used only as a last resort, i.e. not in the first instance as in the case of prophylactic treatment (e.g. seeds coated with pesticides). The authors are concerned about the consequences of the recent signing of a strategic collaboration letter between the FAO and CropLife International (BASF, Bayer Syngenta, Corteva...). In fact, the authors point out the differences in the interpretation of IPM by CropLife International.

Reference : Kris Wyckhuys, Francisco Sanchez-Bayo, Alexandre Aebi, Maarten Bijleveld van Lexmond, Jean-Marc Bonmatin, Dave Goulson and Edward Mitchell, (2021) Stay true to integrated pest management, Science, 371 (6525), 133. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf8072