SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL PESTS IN MEXICO

The indiscriminate use of pesticides, first out of necessity and now because of ignorance, has reduced and damaged the agricultural activity in the country. Even in small areas of cultivation, we depend on the development of new technology to manage agricultural pests. Although the pesticides, fertilizers and agricultural machinery have played an important role in the increase of agricultural production, they have proven not to be, at least for chemical pesticides, a safe and sustainable strategy for pest management. The mistrust and lack of information have hindered the adoption of environmentally friendly strategies that allow a sustainable management of pests. In this review, we provide an analysis of the main phenomena that influence the implementation of pest control measures in the country and, in turn, we propose contemplating agroecological, economic and cultural aspects from each region, based on a conscientious analysis of the attainable goals in the short and medium term, with the aim of restoring the biological equilibrium and sustainability of the Mexican countryside. Focused ex profeso on the current situation of the Mexican countryside, this study can serve as a point of departure for the design of programs that take into account the heterogeneity of the Mexican farmland.