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Pest control for the storage of cowpea by small scale farmers in SSA. towards participation in action-research. Organisations DfID NRI, MOFA, SARI, NGOs, Farmers unions… Duration Research to Action-research & Participatory research. Cowpea ( Black-eye bean ) Traditional - widespread
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Pest control for the storage of cowpea by small scale farmers in SSA towards participation in action-research
Organisations DfID NRI, MOFA, SARI, NGOs, Farmers unions… Duration Research to Action-research & Participatory research Cowpea (Black-eye bean) Traditional - widespread Beans, leaves, fodder Adapted – drought, poor soil Storage on farm Pest damage Adapted solution Effective Safe Affordable Acceptable The project
Northern region Rainy season: July - September
Dry season Dry season: November - May
Cowpea and bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus
Damage on stored cowpea • Farmers coping strategy • Control methods
Northern Ghana Farmers’ stores Surveys monthly assessments dry season % damage 2 years On-farm surveys
100 40 75 30 50 20 % damage Number of farmers affected 25 10 0 0 Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Surveys Damage on stored cowpea in the Northern Region during the storage season 96-97
Surveys Damage on stored cowpea in the Northern Region during the storage season 97-98: 131 farmers 100 75 50 25 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
100 75 50 25 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Surveys Farmers stop storage – variation of damage (131 farmers) 0
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun On-farm trials
From surveys: Ash Chilli Shea nut butter Shea nut residue Plant extracts From literature: Hermetic storage Solarisation Test of control methods
57.3 Threshold (degrees C) cowpea 1-2cm cowpea 5cm bambara 1-2cm bambara 5cm ambient Solarisation 90 80 70 60 50 Temperature (degrees C) 40 30 20 10 0 0 11:16 11:46 12:16 12:46 13:16 13:46 14:16 14:46 Time of day
Selected from on-station results Set-up after harvest Monthly assessment of damage during dry season Control: no treatment 20 farmers 20 kg bag On-farm test of control methods
+ Shea nut Solarisation 1999 trial Average damage increase after 2 months of storage (with SEM) 50 % 40 % 30 % Percentage damage 20 % 10 % 0 % Ash Chilli Palaga Kim-kim Control Hermetic Shea nut Solarisation
Rank of germination test among criteria Results On-farm trials 2001. Average damage (with SEM) at Farmers' perceptions of the treatment used the end of the storage period April 30 100 v. good May 80 20 June good 60 10 Percentage damage OK Number of respondents 40 0 20 not good 0 -10 Control Solar. + ash Solar. monthly Solar. + shea -20 Solar. + ash Control Solar. Monthly Solar.+ shea Would farmers use or recommend the treatment? Germination tests 30 100% 3 20 2.5 yes 80% 10 no 2 60% germinating (with number of Percentage seeds farmers testing) 0 1.5 40% 10 7 7 1 8 -10 20% 0.5 -20 0% 0 Control Solar. + ash Solar. Monthly Solar. + shea Control Solar. + ash Solar. Solar. + Monthly shea
Conclusions • Viable solution? • Cost • Scaling up • Follow up • Learning process • Collaborative work - decentralisation • From academic research to farmers participatory research…