Agriculture and Environmental Concerns. What is nowadays to the residents of the global village more troublesome and worrying than pollution in its different forms –e.g. physical, environmental and genetic- ? AIDS, SARS, Mad Cow Disease, Bird Flu and the surfacing, spreading and resistance of various other diseases and the agents carrying them are disasters created -and sometimes justified- by humans through their scientific and technological progress. Where do toxics and chemical pesticides and herbicides come from? We farmers did not ask for them! They were meant to kill pests and eradicate diseases… At first we were so excited and fervent about them, and for about half a century we recklessly raided over our fields pouring these chemical poisons and praised our science and knowledge. But pests were not the only victims. Destruction of nature and its balance, death of useful insects and widespread pollution were hidden side effects. What did we really do? Did we manage to wipe out pests and diseases? Or did they defeat our poisons, science and technology by developing better resistance and variable destructive abilities? We didn't treat our nature and environment well, and in doing so, we were quite persistent, and we still insist on our wrong deeds. We can't complain now if nature defies us. We wrongly interpreted development and sustainability as only related to quantity of production due to technological and scientific progress, and meanwhile closed our eyes on pollutions and the creation of more malicious and resistant diseases and pests. The joint project named "Participatory Integrated Pest Management: Capacity Building for Local Communities to Decrease Agricultural Pollutants and Enhance Conservation of Biodiversity in Agricultural Ecosystems" carried out by the Sustainable Development Association of Dashte-Garmsar Farmers and the Centre for Sustainable Development and Environment (CENESTA), effectively supported by the Small Grant Programmes of United Nation's Development Programme (UNDP/GEF/SGP), has begun since 2002 in Dashte-Garmsar, Iran. This project has up to now contributed in raising awareness among consumers and agricultural producers of the region on the dangers of irresponsible and excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and also in promoting the production and consumption of healthy and pollutant-free food through appreciable cooperation of local interested farmers and the valuable expertise and collaboration of experts, by setting up numerous Farmers' Field School (FFS) workshops and local meetings enjoying a multi-lateral cooperation. Ahmad Taheri Member of the Sustainable Development Association of Dashte-Garmsar Farmers Picture