Title: Organic farming vs. integrated pest management: which strategies do greenhouse tomato growers choose to reduce pesticide use? Tomato grower pesticide reduction strategies

Authors: Magali Aubert; Geoffroy Enjolras

Addresses: UMR 1110 MOISA, INRA-Montpellier Supagro, 2 Place Viala, 34060 Montpellier Cedex 2, France ' Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CERAG, 38000 Grenoble, France

Abstract: This study focuses on the implementation of two agri-environmental strategies aimed at reducing pesticide use: organic farming (OF) certification and integrated pest management (IPM). The originality of our analysis is to consider that each strategy represents a different management philosophy, guided by specific determinants. After a literature review on the determinants of innovation practices in agriculture, we designed and administered a questionnaire to 159 greenhouse tomato growers in the South of France. The results suggest that OF and IPM, although focused on the objective of reducing pesticide use, rely on different drivers. OF relies on managerial aspects, as the farmer's personal profile (education and environmental concerns) is essential for adoption. IPM practices are more influenced by technical factors (farm size, diversification, and labour intensity).

Keywords: sustainable agriculture; pesticides; organic farming; integrated pest management; IPM; tomatoes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2023.142815

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2023 Vol.19 No.4, pp.348 - 365

Received: 10 Jan 2024
Accepted: 09 Aug 2024

Published online: 22 Nov 2024 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article