Maximizing farm-level uptake and diffusion of biological control innovations in today’s digital era

Abstract

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) believes that open access contributes to its mission of reducing hunger and poverty, and improving human nutrition in the tropics through research aimed at increasing the eco-efficiency of agriculture.CIAT is committed to creating and sharing knowledge and information openly and globally. We do this through collaborative research as well as through the open sharing of our data, tools, and publications. Citation:Wyckhuys, Kris A.; Bentley, Jeff W.; Lie, Rico; Nghiem,Le Thi Phuong; Fredrix, Marjon. 2017. Maximizing farm-level uptake and diffusion of biological control innovations in today's digital era. BioControl .63 (1) disregarded. In this study, we conduct a retrospective analysis of the extent to which social 39 science facets have been incorporated into biological control research over the past 25 years. 40Next, we critically examine various biological control forms, concepts and technologies using a 41'diffusion of innovations' framework, and identify elements that hamper their diffusion and 42 farm-level uptake. Lastly, we introduce effective observation-based learning strategies, such as African subsistence farmers to control key pests on sorghum and maize (Cook et al., 2007). 128The biggest stumbling block for conservation biological control is that 'from the viewpoint of on insect biological control was consolidated by using the search terms (("biological control" OR 149 "natural enem*") AND ("insect*" OR "arthropod")). These search terms were defined by the 150 authors. Within this set, we ran the following additional queries: 151  (("farmer" OR "stakeholder" OR "public") NOT "public health")), for studies that make 152 reference to end-users; 153 8  (("gender" OR "women" OR "woman")), for studies that make reference to gender-154 aspects (solely of target adopters, and not insects); 155  (("intergeneration*" OR "youth" OR ("young" AND "age") OR "children")) , for studies 156 that take into account age of target adopters, or include youngsters; 157  (("knowledge" OR "innovation" OR "information") AND ("diffusion" OR "transfer" OR 158"dissemination" OR "training")), for manuscripts that allude to knowledge transfer; parasitism by minute hymenopterans or the action of entomo-pathogens, are difficult to observe. 256But, rather surprisingly, farmers were also entirely unaware of insect predation by social wasps; 257 conspicuous and active caterpillar-hunters that are omnipresent in local fields. Wasps (e.g., 258Polybia spp.; Hymenoptera: Vespidae) typically nest under the porch roof of rural homes, and fly Farmer knowledge of pests and natural enemies can be seen as a matrix that compares the 295 "culturally important" with the "ease (or difficulty) of observation" (Bentley, 1992 and explain the best that modern science has to offer, drawing upon logic and analogies (e.g. 325"insects mate, just like other animals") and using animations, diagrams, and photos. 326There may be no local knowledge at all for the culturally unimportant and dif...

Global disparity in public awareness of the biological control potential of invertebrates

“…Other larger-bodied organisms such as ladybeetles, praying mantids, pirate bugs (e.g., O. insidiosus) or Oecophylla spp. weaver ants likely feature far more prominently in (historical) cultural narratives, evoke wonder or curiosity, and thus could help muster popular support, funding or (possibly) farm-level adoption (Wyckhuys et al, 2018).…”

“…Similar attitudes exist in Switzerland and Japan (Breuer et al, 2015;Hosaka et al, 2017), while in Arizona (USA) only 6% of 1,117 households voiced pleasure upon encountering invertebrates outside their home. Human perceptions towards insects are molded by childhood encounters, species trait (i.e., aesthetic appeal) (Lemelin et al, 2016), and insects' cultural importance (Wyckhuys et al, 2018), thus imposing considerable bias towards colorful butterflies or (domesticated) pollinators. Though the growing public appreciation of honeybee pollinators is evidently to be applauded (Schönfelder & Bogner, 2017), biological control organisms provide equally valuable and economically-important services (Southwick & Southwick, 1992) and this attracts little public recognition.…”

“…Multiple factors hamper the farm-level adoption and diffusion of knowledge-intensive technologies such of biological control, including its infield success rate (Collier & Van Steenwyk, 2004;Sivinski, 2013). However, the absence of sufficient publicly-accessible information and farmers' lagging knowledge may be one of the main obstacles (Pretty & Bharucha, 2014;Reganold & Wachter, 2016;Wyckhuys et al, 2018). This is further compounded by a misconception and general indifference towards invertebrates among the broader public (Hogue, 1987;Kellert, 1993;Lemelin et al, 2016), a decline in the number of biological control courses in core curricula at some academic institutions (Warner et al, 2011), and dwindling interest in this key ecosystem service across digitally-enabled groups of society such as 'generation Y' and 'millenials' (Brodeur et al, 2018).…”

¿Estamos perdiendo de vista el control biológico de insectos en el ciberespacio?

“…The above appears to be part of a larger worrisome trend, in which the general public and also farmers tend to view insects with ignorance, aversion or even fear (Hogue, 1987;Kellert, 1993;Lemelin et al, 2016). Only large conspicuous insects (e.g., ground beetles, ants) and culturally-important ones (e.g., social wasps) tend to receive certain attention from growers, and their role in pest control is regularly thought to be minor (Bentley and Rodriguez, 2001;Wyckhuys et al, 2018a). Although social science research could illuminate some of the underlying drivers of these phenomena (e.g., Wyckhuys and O'Neil, 2007), systematic and geographically-expansive surveys of public attitudes towards insects (and biological control organisms) are virtually non-existent.…”

Prospects for regenerative agriculture in Chile

“…Now, broad-spectrum pesticides are being sold as 'fast-moving consumer goods' in many Asian rural outlets, together with food and other items. In some parts of Asia, the level of farmers' education is so low that they are unable to decide on the merits or otherwise of these products (Wyckhuys et al, 2018), which are promoted widely by pesticide companies (Reganold and Wachter, 2016). Because of this approach, K.L.…”