FAO works extensively in Asia with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in implementing participatory integrated pest management (IPM). IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption of agro-ecosystems, thereby encouraging natural pest control mechanisms and keeping pesticides and other interventions to levels that are both environmentally and economically sustainable. IPM programmes in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam closely involve CSOs. These cooperative initiatives have mutually strengthened local, national and regional IPM programmes in rice, vegetables, tea, fruit and other crops.

The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Global Facility is an on-going global programme aiming to promote the development of new IPM initiatives in support of sustainable agricultural production with involvement of local communities. It works with CSOs in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East in identifying new opportunities and providing technical and financial support for IPM implementation and policy reform. Globally, FAO cooperates with policy-oriented non-governmental organizations - those affiliated with the Pesticide Action Network - especially in the implementation of the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. CSOs have been instrumental in national and international application of the Prior Informed Consent procedure, and activities concerning methyl bromide and persistent organic pollutants.

Specific examples of cooperation with the civil society on IPM include:

• The Pesticide Action Network involvement in World Bank projects in Mexico and China helped develop capacity in local non-governmental and civil society organizations for monitoring of pest management components of projects;
• Collaboration with CENESTA-Center for Sustainable Development and Environment has supported the conduct of pilot field activities on IPM for several crops in Northern Iran and has come to produce major support at policy level for significantly reducing subsidies to pesticides, and encouraging alternative approaches to production and pest management;
• Collaboration with CSOs in the Democratic Republic of Congo to face the spread of Cassava Mosaic Virus and to actively involve women farmers and local resource persons in the development of sustainable agricultural practices.