Farmers’ perceptions of tree mortality, pests and pest management practices in agroforestry in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia

Abstract

Pest management research within the context of agroforestry is in its infancy, and it is often difficult to say when a particular pest justifies investment in research to establish facts. Understanding the potentials and drawbacks of farmers' indigenous ecological knowledge (ethnoecology) may form the basis for constructive collaboration between farmers, agroforestry scientists and extension staff. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to (1) assess farmers' knowledge and perceptions of pests, (2) prioritize pest problems that limit tree planting and maize production based on farmers' own criteria and (3) to identify farmers' indigenous pest management practices for priority pests. Data were collected using community meetings, individual interviews and direct observation by the first author. The farmers involved in this study in eastern Zambia had over ten years of experience, while most of the farmers in Mozambique and parts of southern Malawi were new to agroforestry. Farmers perceived insects as the major causes of tree mortality, followed by drought, bush fires and browsing by livestock. Among the biological constraints to maize production, insects (particularly termites and stalk bores) and weeds (particularly Striga asiatica) were more important in farmers' minds than crop diseases. Fundamentally, the farmers' perception of the causes of tree mortality and crop pests agreed with researchers' perceptions and the literature. Both termite and witch weed problems were associated with low soil quality, and farmers use various indigenous control practices to control these pests. Some farmers did not know the causes of tree mortality, and hence do not take action. Farmer's perception of tree mortality was found to be a function of operator-specific variables such as sex, level of education and years of experience with tree species.

Farmers’ knowledge and use of soil fauna in agriculture: a worldwide review

“…At the other end of the spectrum, many of the studies conducted in high-income countries highlighted the value of empowering farmers by developing locally relevant soil health assessments, reducing reliance on costly outside expertise. Although we did not explore gender as an influence on soil biological knowledge in this review, several authors noted gender-related differences , Sileshi et al 2008. The trend toward increasing feminization of agriculture in some global regions (Deere 2005) may also influence the knowledge that is retained, transmitted, and used in agriculture.…”

“…Farmers in Honduras used crop rotation, ash application, and reliance on natural predators to deter white grub infestation ; similar practices were documented by and in central America. A variety of techniques to discourage termites from attacking tree crops were elicited from farmers in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, including planting cuttings of a plant believed to attract termites in termite-infested areas, digging up the mound, and destroying the queen, applying wood ash in planting holes, and applying meat to attract predatory ants (Sileshi et al 2008), while farmers in the rangelands of Uganda had a detailed understanding of the links between overgrazing, ecosystem deterioration, and heightened termite damage of pasture vegetation ).…”

The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

“…There are only a few examples of studies from sub-Saharan Africa which explore attitudes and perceptions in relation to agroforestry adoption. These examples are described here and explore the perceptions farmers have about certain agroforestry practices, their impact and management (Douthwaite et al 2002, Mekoya et al 2008, Sileshi et al 2008b). There are a few more examples of studies outside of sub-Saharan Africa which set out to measure attitudes towards agroforestry and the environment and link these to the decision to adopt (Sood and Mitchell 2004, Zubair and Garforth 2006, McGinty et al 2008; however, these are not discussed here as they are beyond the scope of this paper.…”

“…They recommended that farmers should be involved at all stages of project design and implementation to enhance adoption. Similarly, Sileshi et al (2008b) assessed farmers' knowledge and perceptions of tree mortality, pests and pest management practices in agroforestry in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. The study showed that farmers perceived insects as the primary cause of tree mortality, followed by drought, bush fires and livestock browsing.…”

Termiticidal activities of few plant extracts against Macrotermes subhyalinus smeathman and Trinervitermes geminatus wasmann (Isoptera: Termitidae) survival

“…Some species of living plants are usually left inside the farms in order to deter termites from crops (Sileshi et al, 2008;Mugerwa et al, 2014). In Togo, some farmers believe that keeping plants such as Vetivera zizanoides, Cissus quandrangularis and Pennisetum purpureum within the crop field deter pestiferous termites (especially Macrotermes and Trinervitermes species).…”