Abstract
A questionnaire survey of 100 smallscale cotton growers was conducted in two cotton-growing provinces of Mozambique to assess the constraints faced by the farmers in relation to the timing of insecticide application. The results showed that majority of the farmers started spraying too early (four weeks after germination) and were unaware that such sprays reduced the population of natural enemies of insect pests and might not lead to increased yields. The farmers applied an average of three sprays in the cotton growing season, about half of them according to pest observance and 41 % by following instructions of extension officers, but were constrained by the unavailability of insecticides and sprayers. Another constraint was lack of information on the timing of insecticide application. More than half of the farmers had suffered mild insecticide poisoning and needed more effective training on the judicious and safer use of insecticides, integrated with non-chemical pest management practices.
Résumé
En deux provinces cotonnières du Mozambique, cent agriculteurs cultivant le coton à petite échelle ont été enquêtés par utilisation d’un questionnaire, afin de dégager l’effet de suivi de dates et les systèmes d’application des insecticides. Selon les résultats obtenus, la majorité des agriculteurs commençaient à traiter très tôt (4 semaines après la levée), et ils n’étaient pas informés que de tels traitements réduisaient les populations des ennemis naturels des insectes ravageurs et qu’ils ne débouchaient nécessairement pas sur une augmentation de rendements. Au cours d’une saison culturale de coton, les agriculteurs effectuaient généralement 3 traitements insecticides. La moitié d’entre eux traitait après l’observation de l’apparition des ravageurs, tandis que 41% d’entre eux suivaient les instructions données par les agents de vulgarisation, mais ils étaient limités par la non-disponibilité des insecticides et des appareils de traitement. Le manque d’information sur les dates d’application des insecticides constituait aussi une contrainte. Plus de 50% des agriculteurs enquêtés avaient été sujets aux légères intoxications dues aux insecticides et ils avaient besoin d’un recyclage en matière de l’utilisation judicieuse et sans danger des insecticides; laquelle utilisation serait intégrée à l’emploi des méthodes non chimiques.
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Javaid, I., Uaine, R.N. & Massua, J.N. Pest Management Constraints in Smallscale Cotton Farms in Mozambique: Timing and Application of Insecticides. Int J Trop Insect Sci 18, 251–255 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400023481
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400023481