Platforma Sygnalizacji Agrofagów - Online Pest Warning System

The National Action Plan for limiting the risks associated with the use of plant protection products for years 2013-2017, primarily aimed at the promotion of the general principles of integrated pest management and the prevention of hazards related to the use of plant protection products, has been implemented through many projects. Importantly, all these projects have been realized with the active participation of advisory services, research institutions, public administration, and sectoral organizations.

Essential elements supporting the implementation of objectives and measures adopted in the National Action Plan include, for example, multiannual programmes carried out by research institutes supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture and also ensuring the transfer of knowledge from theory to practice. One of the key new tasks carried out under the framework of multiannual programmes in the field of plant protection is the development and launch of the Online Pest Warning System (Platforma Sygnalizacji Agrofagów, www.agrofagi.com.pl) and the monitoring of plant pests which are economically important in agriculture. The system is operated by the Institute of Plant Protection - PIB in close cooperation with the Institute of Horticulture and the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation PIB. The project is financed from the budget of Multiannual Programmes implemented by:

• Institute of Plant Protection - National Research Institute – Ochrona roślin uprawnych z uwzględnieniem bezpieczeństwa żywności oraz ograniczenia strat w plonach i zagrożeń dla zdrowia ludzi, zwierząt domowych i środowiska/Protection of crops - food safety and limitation of losses in yields and hazards to human health, domestic animals and the environment;
• Institute of Horticulture – Działania na rzecz poprawy konkurencyjności i innowacyjności sektora ogrodniczego z uwzględnieniem jakości i bezpieczeństwa żywności oraz ochrony środowiska naturalnego/Actions to improve the competitiveness and innovativeness of the horticultural sector, with consideration of the quality and safety of food and environmental protection;
• Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation - National Research Institute Wspieranie działań w zakresie ochrony i racjonalnego wykorzystania rolniczej przestrzeni produkcyjnej w Polsce oraz kształtowania jakości surowców roślinnych na lata 2016-2020/Supporting activities in the area of the protection and rational use of agricultural production space in Poland and ensuring good quality of plant materials for years 2016-2020.

This tool enables broad and coherent cooperation in the area of plant protection between all stakeholders and organizations by providing information on:

• notifications under the pest warning system,
• methods for monitoring and alerting the occurrence of plant pests,
• functionality of decision support systems in plant protection,
• methods for the integrated protection of the most important crops, vegetables, orchard plants and industrial crops,
• methods of integrated plant production,
• online programmes and recommendations on plant protection, including those regarding organic agriculture,
• options for the combined use of chemicals in agriculture,
• search engines of plant protection products and their labels,
• technical aspects of plant protection,
• safe use of plant protection products.

Considering the experience of research institutions, public administration and sectoral organizations, as well as their previous cooperation in the promotion and implementation of the general principles of integrated pest management, we encourage the active use of the Online Pest Warning System, including the monitoring of pests in crops and sharing observations with farmers.

Persons interested in the entry of their own observations conducted on standard production farms, demonstration farms or experimental farms can get access to the system and publish detailed information. Reports and questions should be forwarded to the Institute of Plant Protection - National Research Institute, tel. 61 864 9075, fax 61 864 91 20.