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Exploring factors that shape small-scale farmers’ opinions on the adoption of eco-friendly nets for vegetable production

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Abstract

If agro-ecological systems are to realize their potential as sustainable alternatives to conventional agricultural systems, innovation diffusion needs to be enhanced. We conducted surveys among 214 small-scale vegetable farmers in Benin, a food-deficit country in West Africa, on how they perceived the different attributes of eco-friendly nets (EFNs). The nets act as physical barriers against insects in vegetable production and so reduce pesticide use. Understanding farmer perceptions about new technologies helps reveal farmers’ propensity to adopt them. Intensity of attitude was measured on a Likert scale, and an ordered probit model was used to determine which characteristics of nets were most influential. Eighteen percent of farmers thought that EFNs would benefit them, but almost half preferred not to adopt this technology at all. The main reason for rejecting the nets was the perceived high labor requirement, particularly on larger plots of land. This largely negative perception was strongest among farmers with large areas cultivated with vegetables, farmers who had little or no experience in a trial, and those living far from extension services. We recommend expanded trials that engage a higher proportion of farmers, strengthening of external support for those wanting to use the nets and further technological development to reduce labor costs, improved access to finance and increased education about the negative impacts of insecticides abuse.

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Notes

  1. A department in Benin is the first subdivision of the country. The country is subdivided into 12 departments and each department is subdivided in 5–9 communes.

  2. Association des Personnes Rénovatrices des Technologies Traditionnelles—Association of people reforming traditional technologies.

  3. Conseil Régional des Maraîchers du Mono et du Couffo—Regional Council of vegetable farmers of Mono and Couffo departments.

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Acknowledgments

This work is part of the project “Low cost pest exclusion and microclimate modification technologies for small-scale vegetable growers in East and West Africa” supported by the Centre de Coopération Internationale pour la recherché Agronomique et le Dévelopement (Cirad) and by the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Award No. EPP-A-00-09-00004. The contents are the responsibility of Horticulture CRSP Project BioNetAgro investigators and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US Government. We are grateful for comments and advice on earlier drafts from Augustin Ahoudji, Afio Zannou Désiré Agossou, and Pierre Vissoh.

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Vidogbéna, F., Adégbidi, A., Tossou, R. et al. Exploring factors that shape small-scale farmers’ opinions on the adoption of eco-friendly nets for vegetable production. Environ Dev Sustain 18, 1749–1770 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-015-9717-z

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