CropLife India promotes Resistance Management as an integral part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and the Stewardship approach to management of crop protection.

Similar to all stewardship programs, resistance management practices, require a diversity of tools, and must evolve and be flexible. Local agricultural conditions will help define what types of resistance management programs are needed, and they must be continuously reviewed and reconsidered.

CropLife India and its members are committed to advancing the understanding and practice of resistance management. To help growers, food value chain members, and regulators better understand pest resistance and how to develop, implement, and review proper resistance management strategies, the plant biotechnology industry has developed training manuals and materials on insect resistance management and integrated weed management.

Resistance Management is essential for sustainable pest control. Broadening the geographical scope and membership of the Resistance Action Committees (RACs) and alignment of key messages and approaches with non-industry stakeholders are critical elements in promoting voluntary resistance management strategies, therefore should be a priority for industry and non-industry stakeholders. Resistance Management is therefore an integral part of CropLife’s Stewardship Strategy, globally… (Crop Protection Stewardship Vision 2020).

CropLife India has formed a Resistance Action Committee, wherein experts have been pooled in from our member companies. This committee would focus on Stewardship programs; Advocate for Industry approach; Alignment of Global Strategy; Support regional/national programs; Report program impact and result; in a cohesive manner and aligned with CropLife’s strategies globally.

Objectives of Resistance Action Committee, India –

• Enhance available information on pest resistance
• Complete agreement with RAC member companies on the MOA Icon adoption
• Develop IRM classification scheme for biological and non-chemical pesticides
• Find long term solution for resistance record database
• Provide a RAC guidance document on IRM modelling

In view of the objectives, the Resistance Action Committee, India would –

Facilitate communication and education on pest and trait resistance
Promote the development and facilitate the implementation of pest resistance management strategies to maintain efficacy and support sustainable agriculture and improved health

The overall approach is to:

• Support, implement and, if necessary sponsor research work to make progress in the understanding of resistance and how it can be managed or mitigated
• Encourage the development and facilitate implementation of strategies for resistance management that can be applied across similar products
• Assess the potential for resistance to develop in target pest populations to pest control tools
• Establish techniques for an early detection and proof of resistance under practical conditions
• Advocate the use of mode of action labelling, and where appropriate, the use of alternations or mixtures for resistance management, as well as combinations of technologies such as traits and pesticides
• Highlight the dangers of applying incorrect doses, incorrect application timings and using illegal/counterfeit products in which the dose/efficacy is unknown
• Develop training material appropriate for farmers and pest management professionals that can be used with an IPM/IVM strategy and facilitate practical and easy to implement resistance management
• Publish educational material for non-experts in resistance and its management to aid awareness and understanding
• Collaborate with external experts and other stakeholders, such as grower organizations, consultants and governments

CropLife India’s Resistance Action Committee is aligned with CropLife International’s Resistance Action Committees (RACs). For more information about their remits, goals, expertise, members and responsibilities, please visit the links below:

Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC): http://www.frac.info

Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC): http://www.irac-online.org

Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC): http://www.hracglobal.com