Changes in farmers' knowledge, attitudes and practices after implementation of ecologically-based rodent management in the uplands of Lao PDR

Abstract

Rodents are a severe and chronic pest for farmers in the upland farming system of Lao PDR where upland rice is the predominant subsistence crop. Farmers participated in developing and implementing a series of ecologically-based rodent management (EBRM) strategies designed to reduce the impact of rodents in their upland farming system. These were tested in replicated Treatment and Reference sites in two provinces of northern Laos. A survey was conducted with farmers to determine their knowledge, attitudes and practices prior to and after the implementation of EBRM. This paper reports on the results of the post-implementation survey and compares results with the pre-implementation survey. The survey revealed that rodents remained the most important pest for these farmers. The mean estimated yield loss of upland rice was 12%. There was a significant reduction in the yield loss from pre- to post-treatment, but the time by treatment interaction was not significant. Trapping rodents in the fields remained the most important control strategy for these farmers and also was considered the most effective method. There was an increase in effort expended by farmers in controlling rodents post-treatment on Treatment sites in Luang Namtha, but no difference for other sites. The money spent on controlling rodents was lower on all sites post-treatment except for Treatment sites in Luang Namtha. Farmers on the Treatment sites in Luang Namtha had the lowest effort during the pre-treatment period and thought they needed to increase their rodent management efforts because of their involvement in this project. As a result of the project, farmers were more aware of the problems of rodents and were interested in adopting EBRM strategies.