Factors preventing the adoption of alternatives to chemical pest control among Pakistani cotton farmers

Abstract

Providing pest control solutions that are less harmful to the farmers and the environment, while maintaining effectiveness on pests is a major goal in modern crop protection. A survey of randomly selected cotton farmers from two districts of Punjab in Pakistan was conducted to study common crop protection practices and related behaviors of farmers in an attempt to identify factors preventing the adoption of alternatives to chemical pest control in the area. Almost all farmers reported using pesticides extensively as the only way of controlling pests and often by mixing two or more different pesticide products. Most farmers felt that spraying with chemicals is not only highly effective, but it is also the only viable option available at the moment. Thus, despite significant health concerns, they felt forced to use pesticides. Almost half (49%) of the farmers, irrespective of age, showed a tendency toward pesticide overuse by spraying higher quantities of pesticides than those required. To model farmers' behavior toward environmentally sound alternatives of pest control, a binary probit regression model was used expressing behavior as a function of age, education, farm size, income, risk perception levels, adverse health effects by pesticides, and training. Education and training were the main determinants of environmentally sound behavior in pest control, in the sense that high levels of education and training appeared to discourage pesticide use in the study area. In contrast, experience of health problems was not associated with behaviors toward pesticide reduction or adoption of alternative pest control practices. Additionally, governmental policies, such as the outdated extension system and the easy availability of pesticides under a non-existing or poor regulation system, which encourage farmers to utilize pesticides, should be considered as extra major barriers in the adoption of alternative pest control practices.

Farmers’ Criteria for Pesticide Selection and Use in the Pest Control Process

“…As Talukder et al [45] stressed, this may be due to the high awareness of educated farmers of the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment. Education and training were the main determinants of environmentally sound behavior in pest control, in the sense that high levels of education and training appeared to discourage pesticide use [46]. Contrary to the expectations, the observed difference between the two groups of farmers was not significant in this study, in terms of technical and operational criteria.…”

Determinants of intensity of uptake of alternative pest control methods: A case of small- scale tomato farmers in Kenya

“…As a result, better-educated farmers are able to implement such methods with ease which increases the number of practices adopted as compared to their counterparts. The findings are consistent with Khan and Damalas (2015) results on factors influencing cotton farmer`s adoption of an alternative to chemical pest control in Pakistan.…”

“…For instance, removal and destruction of infected parts of the plant by pruning subdue pest reproduction and dispersion. For example, use of traps to capture and eradicate insects (for instance sticky traps) or trap crops to attract pest away from the desired crop contributes towards a reduction of the pest population by altering its habitat (Khan and Damalas, 2015;Jebapreetha et al, 2017).…”

“…This increases the number of mechanical methods adopted by farmers who have heightened risk perception. Khan and Damalas (2015) associated heightened risk perception with the adoption of alternative pest control methods. In contrast, Tu et al (2018) observed that farmers with higher risk perception were less likely to adopt eco-friendly rice production in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta due to fear of failure (uncertainty) of the new eco-friendly practices to achieve the desired outcome Membership to a group positively influenced the intensity of uptake of preventive measures at 5% significant level.…”

Grower adoption of insecticide resistance management practices increase with extension‐based program

“…Currently, the USDA estimates that 70% of US cropland is managed using some level of IPM; however, the use of IRM tactics is unknown. Growers tend to adopt practices that are not risky, easy to implement, and save money, which can put some IRM and related practices at a disadvantage because many are complicated and time‐consuming to implement. Consequently, the adoption of some IPM practices have been slow to progress as compared with other agricultural technologies .…”