Promoting Integrated Pest Management for Cotton Smallholders—The Uganda Experience

Abstract

Cotton production in Uganda which depends on smallholders, has fallen well below the levels of national production seen in the 1960s. Poor standards of crop management contribute to low profitability and control of insect pests is an important management component, with insecticides accounting for up to 50 % of input costs. An integrated pest management (IPM) system appropriate for smallholder adoption was developed and promoted as part of a larger program based on large numbers of on-farm demonstrations. The main insect pests in Eastern Uganda are the bollworms (Helicoverpa armigera, Pectinophora gossypiella and Earias insulana and E . biplaga) and Lygus bug (Lygus spp.) can cause leaf tattering and destruction of flowers. Later in the season, stainer bugs (Dysdercus spp.), can cause lint staining and secondary boll rots. The two key IPM components were the use of soapy water to control early season aphids, so as to delay the first use of a toxic insecticide and a ‘user friendly’ pest scouting method, to inform the farmer of the optimum time to spray and help in deciding what to spray. The use of a ‘peg-board’ as a scouting aid was adopted among cotton farmers in Uganda and spray schedules informed by scouting delivered better pest control and higher profits than fixed schedule spraying. Implementation of the IPM system did not necessarily result in decreased number of sprays compared to the nationally recommended fixed schedule of 4 sprays. In a season of low bollworm pressure, one less spray was required but in a season of higher pest pressure, one additional spray was required under the scouting-based IPM system. However, the timing and appropriateness of the intervention was greatly improved, with positive implications for crop protection and yields. The main lesson from the experience in Uganda was that pest scouting and IPM can be readily adopted by African smallholders, provided they have access to good quality inputs and sufficient technical support. The large number of on-farm demonstrations was also an important method of knowledge transfer.