Methods for Analysis of Holistic Pest Management

In this chapter some tools or methods to generate information on the organization, structure and operation of socio-environmental systems that require the implementation of Holistic Pest Management (HPM) are presented. They are discussed in an illustrative, non-prescriptive way. The chapter presents a combination of methods that proceed from the social sciences such as the Sustainable rural livelihoods and the structural analysis, with others coming from the natural sciences such as the Rapid Agroecological Sampling. The description of these methods is organized into the following topics: (i) Integration and training of the work team, (ii) Identification of limits and interactions between system components, (iii) Preparation of the work plan and, (iv) Development of decision-making and monitoring systems. To develop and execute the work plan, the importance of an interdisciplinary team with producers, facilitators and academics participation is emphasized. Likewise, it is advised that this working group has to be trained following the methodology of Farmer Field Schools and Agricultural Experimentation. The methodology of the Holistic Risk Index (HRI), considered the cornerstone of the HPM, is described. Since the HPM ultimate goal is to increase the resilience of the socio-environmental system, a conceptual approach is presented that relates risk (HRI) to an approach to measure resilience.