Abstract
Studies were conducted to determine farmers’ perception on Striga control options and their potential for adoption in two Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) in Central Malawi. Individual interviews were conducted in Mpingu (Lilongwe District) and Mponela (Dowa District) EPAs in 2010 in a sample of 247 respondents. The study revealed that crop production was the main source of livelihood for most households. Farmers identified Striga as a constraint to maize production and attributed its increasing incidence to insufficient funds to purchase inputs, soil fertility and grazing animals. On Striga control mechanisms, manure application was perceived to be the best by farmers, followed by crop rotation, fertilizer application and hand pulling. Even though Striga infestation is increasing in farmers fields, they have not adopted the control options. The low adoption of the options has been justified as “too risky” as farmers do not trust them. Emphasis should be laid on undertaking on-farm trials and development of technologies should involve farmers if they are to gain wide acceptability.
Highlights
The parasitic angiosperm, Striga spp., is obligate root parasite endemic in sub-Saharan Africa causing severe constraint to cereals
The results presented in this paper are perceptions of farmers about Striga asiatica and its control options
There were several Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) involved in offering training to rural poor farmers in Lilongwe District compared to Dowa District
Summary
The parasitic angiosperm, Striga spp., is obligate root parasite endemic in sub-Saharan Africa causing severe constraint to cereals. It is a growing pandemic, undermining the struggle to attain food security of the continent. 40% of the cereal producing area is infected and 300 million people affected (Ejeta, 2007). The most affected are subsistence farmers losing about 20–80% of their crop yield (Atera et al, 2011). In Malawi, the recorded species are S. asiatica, S. aspera, S. gesneriodes and S. forbesii. S. asiatica is said to be widespread and the most noxious to cereal crops such as maize, sorghum, millet and rice (Kabambe et al, 2008)
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