A systems approach to understanding obstacles to effective implementation of IPM in Thailand: key issues for the cotton industry

A comprehensive study of the history of cotton production in Thailand shows the causes of its collapse. Crop protection problems are regarded as major driving forces behind the recent changes in cotton production systems. The cotton industry went through the characteristic sequence leading from subs istence farming to a disaster phase, because of increasing reliance on chem ical pesticides. Integration of biophysical and socio-economic aspects of c otton production allows for this evolutionary path and the obstacles to the dissemination of IPM principles among key stakeholders to be explained. Su ggestions are made to facilitate the process of collective learning toward more sustainable IPM practices. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.