Farmers' perceptions of pests and pesticide usage in Masaka district, Uganda

Abstract

A random sample of 60 semi-commercial farmers selected in Masaka district, Uganda, from six counties were interviewed to investigate their perceptions of pesticide usage and pests of crops and animals. The banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and nematodes were reported to be the worst pests for the banana (Musa spp.) crop, while the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca Fuller (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was reported to be the major pest of maize (Zea maydis). Many farmers felt that the insecticides they use are sufficiently effective against the pests, the only issue being one of availability. Non-chemical methods of pest control employed in this area include good crop husbandry, like destruction of crop residues after harvest. Only a few farmers were aware of the role of biological control and the significance of weeding in crop pest management.