Awareness and Attitude towards Mango Infesting Fruit Flies and Adoption of an IPM Strategy: A Panel Data Analysis in Elgeyo Marakwet, Kenya

Abstract

This study aimed at understanding farmers’ awareness and attitude towards mango infesting fruit flies, the adoption of an IPM strategy, and the determinants of farmers’ knowledge and perceptions on fruit fly infestation and management. We utilized panel data collected from 608 mango farmers in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya. Descriptive results show that eighty four percent of farmers reported high damage caused by fruit flies. The most common identified fruit fly symptoms were infected fruits that contain maggots and fruits falling off the plant prematurely. Fruit fly traps and orchard sanitation by feeding infested fruits to animals and burying infected mangoes were well-known and adopted IPM strategies among the farmers. The principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to develop the knowledge and perception index that was subsequently used in multiple regression analysis. The regression estimates indicate that farmers’ awareness and attitude towards fruit fly infestation and management is positively associated with gender of the household head, training on IPM, contact with an extension officer, membership to a mango cooperative, and experience of pesticide intoxication, while age of the household head and mango income negatively influenced farmers’ awareness and attitude on fruit fly infestation and management. We emphasize on the role of rural institutions and associations in enhancing farmers’ knowledge and perceptions on fruit fly infestation and management through improved product-specific training, access to farmer cooperatives and extension services on non-pesticide methods of suppressing fruit flies. Keywords: Mango fruit fly; Integrated pest management; Knowledge and perceptions; Principal component analysis DOI: 10.7176/JESD/13-18-01 Publication date: September 30 th 2022