The nexus between information sources, gender and adoption of fall armyworm management practices in Southern Ghana

Abstract

The impact of Fall Army Worm (FAW) infestation on the livelihood outcomes of farmers in Africa is an issue of critical concern. Specificities of information sources and their efficacy in the management of Fall Armyworm remain crucial. Yet still, the nexus between farmers’ information sources and the management of Fall Armyworm appears scarce in the related literature pertaining to the global south. This article answers the research question: What is the relationship between specific information sources and the management practices of Fall Army Worm in Ghana? Using cross-sectional data on 340 smallholder farmers, the findings showed that information derived from peer farmers, Agricultural extension officers, and the media related to the adoption of fall armyworm management practices. Additionally, information from agricultural extension agents has a significant relationship with the use of pesticides, handpicking, and frequent weeding. Generally, the majority (97%) of smallholder farmers remained aware of the presence of FAW and had been negatively affected. We recommend that peer-to-peer extension be harnessed and scaled up in the dissemination of useful agricultural information given the shortfall in adequate agricultural extension officers in Ghana and most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.