Exploring the association between social media and farmers' knowledge of a worldwide invasive agricultural pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Abstract

Public education has profound effects on the management effectiveness of invasive alien species by shaping stakeholders' knowledge systems. However, our understanding of the association between social media and farmers' knowledge is lacking for the majority of invasive agricultural pests. In this study, we used the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, one of the most invasive insects globally, as a case to test the hypothesis that social media has a significant association with farmers' knowledge of FAW. To address this, we developed a theoretical framework, conducted extensive household questionnaires in the China-Myanmar-Laos border region (China), and used quantitative descriptions and binary logistic regressions in statistical analyses. Our results showed that (1) farmers frequently reported using 12 social media applications on smartphones (SMASs), and obtained FAW-relevant information from six of them, with high preferences for WeChat and TikTok, (2) farmers possessed a generally high level of knowledge of FAW which was significantly associated with their socio-demographic profiles, and (3) FAW-relevant information from SMASs was significantly associated with certain aspects of farmers' knowledge of FAW. We concluded that social media has a significant association with farmers' knowledge of FAW. We suggest that well-designed and -conducted educational programs based on the use of SMASs could help improve the management of FAW, and the Department of Agricultural Extension could play an important and necessary role. Our findings provide insights into this novel educational approach for the management of serious invasive agricultural pests. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.