Agricultural development paths and pest management: a pragmatic view of sustainability

Historical profiles can be used to portray past pathways of agricultural development, the factors that affected pest status and the responses made by farmers in the form of pest management. Understanding the key factors affecting these historical developments is thought to be crucial for identifying likely future scenarios and associated opportunities and constraints for improving pest management. Evidence for this view is provided by four case studies: brassica pests in the United Kingdom; tsetse fly and trypanosomiasis management in The Gambia; rice pest management in the Lop-Buri area of Thailand; and pest management in dryland cotton in north-east Australia.