The fourth component of Ethio-Netherlands horticulture partnership project is IPM. IPM with the main emphasis on increased use of biological solutions to combat the challenges posed to the sector by pests (insects, mite, and disease caused by pathogens). Biological pest control is the main pillar of IPM wherein natural enemies of the pests are deployed on the other hand minimize the use of pesticides, yet keeping the pest population density below Economic Threshold Level (ETL).

The knowledge and practice of IPM are picking up in the horticulture industry in Ethiopia.

For the industry this implies that existing IPM technologies need to be tested and registered rapidly to make them available to all producers, linkage with the latest developments with regard to IPM must be insured, while also new IPM technologies can be developed within the country. In order to make pest management issue in the sector more viable and sustainable, IPM component of Ethio-Netherlands horticulture partnership project address the following activities:

• Identification and testing of endemic biological agents
• Adopting registering existing IPM technologies
• Support national horticulture sector IPM Technical Committee
• Involve in IPM policy framework development and capacity building

Information on registered Bio-Agent products for the control of major pests of commercial horticultural crops in Ethiopia.