Farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards management of cassava pests and diseases in forest transition and Guinea savannah agro-ecological zones of Ghana

Benedicta Nsiah Frimpong,Joseph N Lamptey,Ruth Prempeh,Joseph Manu-Aduening,Moses B Mochiah,Zipporah Appiah-Kubi,Justin Pita,Allen Oppong,Linda A Abrokwah

doi:10.12688/gatesopenres.13114.1

Benedicta Nsiah Frimpong, Joseph N Lamptey + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.13114.1

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Abstract

Background: Cassava is a major staple root crop in Ghana, which serves as a food security and an income generating crop for farming families. In spite of its importance, the crop is plagued with biotic factors such as pests and diseases, resulting in yield and income reductions. Methods: Farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards cassava pest and disease management were investigated. A mixed method research questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from 94 cassava farm households across two major cassava growing agro-ecologies. Results: Using descriptive statistics, parametric and non-parametric analysis, our study revealed that farmers’ knowledge on cassava pests was high but low for diseases. Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), grasshoppers (Zonocerus variegatus), aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover), mealybugs (Phenacoccus manihoti), termites (Isoptera), and grasscutters (Thryonomys swinderianus) were perceived as the most common damaging pests. Farmers’ descriptions showed that disease pathogens attacked foliar tissues, stem and root tissues and caused leaf dropping and die back. Cassava mosaic disease and root rot were the most common diseases; however, disease descriptions suggested the incidence of viral, bacterial and fungal diseases. Some of the farmers observed mixed infections on their farms. The results also showed that only 25.5% cultivated improved varieties. Management actions applied included field sanitation practices and pesticide application. The effectiveness level of the control actions was rated moderately effective. Conclusions: The analysis showed heterogeneity in personal and farm level characteristics of respondents across the two agro-ecologies, but agro-ecologies were independent of the management practices employed. There is a need to improve farmers’ access to improved disease-free planting materials through efficient dissemination pathways and increase farmers’ knowledge on cassava pests, diseases and integrated management through publfic awareness creation and capacity building by extension agents and research institutions. Continued government investment is needed to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Highlights

Global food production is expected to increase substantially by 2050 to meet the increasing demands of the burgeoning population coupled with changing diets and the growing per capita consumption that is a function of rising incomes in many countries (Ray et al, 2013; Tilman et al, 2011)
In spite of its potential, cassava’s productivity in African smallholder’s farming systems is still below the optimal level (Elegba et al, 2013), though several efforts have been made by projects and programs in disseminating improved cultivars and integrated pest and disease management practices (Rusike et al, 2010; Zinga et al, 2013)
The study has shown that mixed disease infections could occur, which are rarely reported in disease studies

Summary

Introduction

Global food production is expected to increase substantially by 2050 to meet the increasing demands of the burgeoning population coupled with changing diets and the growing per capita consumption that is a function of rising incomes in many countries (Ray et al, 2013; Tilman et al, 2011). The developing argument is that cassava, is an important agro-economic activity in Ghana and other parts of Africa and globally because it serves as food for 800 million people in the world (Fondong & Rey, 2018). It would have been helpful if the authors had clarified if KAP is a model or an analysis framework and how each of the concepts is defined, measured and operationalized in the study. The article asserts that despite the crops’ potential productivity, the efforts to bring it to the optimal level remain low; in addition limited small holder farmers’ capacity to control plant pests and diseases, access cultivars and little knowledge of the pests and diseases or management practices complicate the situation

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