Ecological pest management for emerging pest problems
Meghalaya, a small state in the North Eastern region of India, is inhabited by different indigenous communities, mainly of Mongoloid origin. Of the approximately 2.3 million population, about 85 percent live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Due to physiographic features, shifting cultivation and Bun cultivation (raised beds on slopes) have been the predominant forms of agriculture. Many studies indicate that fewer pest problems are experienced in shifting cultivation due to its inherent management practices, such as mixed cropping, fallowing and rotation. Dec 2007