About this Newsletter

Spider Web is an occasional newsletter which aims to increase awareness about the developments which are taking place in  IPM training programmes in Asia.

Spider Web is written for IPM trainers and managers who work for Government or NGOs. It will also be of interest to policy makers and representatives of donor agencies who are involved in sustainable agricultural development and food security.

Spider Web focuses on those IPM programmes which involve groups of farmers in season-long training, experimentation and collective action to promote and protect farming practices which are healthy and efficient. In short, we are talking about 'Community IPM'.  See the last page to learn more about Community IPM.

Spider Web will contain information about new projects, changes in policy, major events and sources of information relating to Community IPM as implemented by Government, NGOs and local peoples organisations. It will include information about successes and difficulties, and keep readers abreast of recent trends.

Spider Web is produced by the FAO Programme for Community IPM in Asia, which is Phase IV of an Intercountry Project (ICP) funded by the Governments of Australia, Netherlands and Norway. 

Spider Web is a response to the recommendations of the 20^th Session of the Asia Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC). Members of the APPPC called upon FAO to increase support for information-sharing so as to improve awareness of IPM developments in the Region.

Spider Web, in this first issue, will focus on: a) regional IPM events involving FAO, and b) national or local IPM activities in seven countries: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It is hoped that future issues will have expanded coverage as a result of submissions from around Asia, written by staff of Government and NGO programmes, field workers and farmers themselves.  Suggestions about the content of future issues will be welcomed, and readers are encouraged to submit information which might be included. 

Spider Web is available in a printed version, and as an Email attachment on request. Recipients should feel free to copy and distribute this newsletter. There are no restrictions on the use of this information.

Please send your comments, and information to be included in future issues, to:

FAO Programme for Community IPM in AsiaPO Box 1380, Jakarta 12013, Indonesia Tel: (6221) 78832604 Fax: (6221) 78832605 Email: CommunityIPM@IBM.Net

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