Pest Management And The African Farmer

The participants were mainly farmers, extension personnel and agricultural researchers from all over Africa, also representatives of donor agencies and agro-chemical industry. The farmers' interests dominated the conference, which concentrated on insect pests. Themes : 1. Pests as a constraint in crop and livestock production. 2. Extension systems as mechanisms for technology transfer. 3. The role of IPM specialists and social scientists in generating technologies for the farming community in Africa. 4. International cooperation and IPM in Africa

In Africa women farmers are generally responsible for pest management activities. Research has shown that the technological needs and priorities of women farmers differ from those of men, but their specific needs are rarely addressed in the research and development of agricultural technology. Women's access to new technologies is seriously undermined owing to the failure of extension systems to establish contacts with women farmers. The book discusses the gender-related, socio-economic factors that influence the creation, adoption and effective implementation of IPM technologies.

Invasive species, generally, affect economically important crops, thus affecting the livelihoods of millions of people along crop value chains. Typically, invasive species have high migratory capabilities and, because of plant material exchanges made during trade, they cannot be contained by one country. Usually, African countries react after a pest has invaded and established itself in the country, making the cost of mitigating the pest even more expensive. This book presents a pan-African view of the impacts of invasive insect pests on agriculture and of how invasive species impact on productivity in Africa. It not only describes their importance, but also presents a diversity of research findings in the field, ranging from the use of early warning and monitoring systems for quarantine purposes, agricultural extension, all the way to control strategies. The IPM arsenal presented in this book includes the use of botanical bioactive compounds, semiochemicals, resistant varieties, biological control agents such as entomopathogens, endophytes, predators, and natural enemies. Aspects of technology transfer strategies, regional coordination, and farmers’ perceptions have not been overlooked, because these affect the adoption of mitigation strategies. The book also presents measures that would help agricultural research services to estimate the damage and take actions for preparedness and readiness to face invasive insect pests. This starts with a basic knowledge of taxonomy to enable concerned persons to describe the insects and the vast inventory of affected crops. Physiological and ecological aspects of invasive pests are strongly highlighted to strengthen Integrated Pest Management Strategies. The threat of invasive species will remain permanent; therefore, the book encourages knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers and scientists on the continent, while encouraging the establishment of a platform or a fund for preparedness and rapid response.

This book contains 24 chapters containing case studies and research papers on the biological control of pests by naturally occurring agents, exotic agents or by seasonal manipulation in Africa. This book will be of interest to those working in the areas of crop protection, entomology and pest management. An index of terms and species found in the book is provided.

The agricultural and rural crisis besetting Africa is the result of both policy failures and inadequacies and the product of structural rigidities inhibiting access to and control of vital resources. The challenge of leadership in the agricultural sector is how to design and implement policies which would help induce growth and development in this sector. It is against this background that the Africa Leadership Forum convened in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria in July of 1989 to explore a broad range of parameters to be addressed in the formulation of successful policies. This volume is derived from papers submitted and presentations made. The book provides the main conclusions and recommendations which emanated from the conference. They highlight a series of actions which must be taken in such areas as women in agriculture, small-scale farmers, agribusiness, subsidies, human capital, and linkages between international and national research anbd energy. Other topics include - Africa's security situation; social and economic factors, ecology, and social engineering; dietary patterns in Africa; pest management; agricultural practice; and international organizations. It is aimed at economists, anthropologists, ecologists, agriculturalists, social and political scientists, and all those interested or involved in agricultural production in Africa and other underdeveloped countries.

Top-down approaches to pest management, relying on agrochemical inputs that can be scarce, expensive, ecologically toxic, or inaccessible, have repeatedly failed to solve pest problems that affect small farmers in developing countries. Crop Protection Strategies for Subsistence Farmers offers an alternative. Drawing on examples from Latin Am