Farmers’ control strategies against fall armyworm and determinants of implementation in two districts of the Upper West Region of Ghana

Abstract

Fall armyworm (FAW) infestation and control strategies used by maize farmers in two districts of Ghana’s Upper West Region were studied. We first identified the various strategy maize farmers use to manage FAW infestations from cross-sectional data. Next, we employed a multivariate probit model to analyse factors influencing control strategy choices. FAW infestation is a major issue farmers in the study area face, as 67% of them perceived it to be increasing year after year since 2016. Farmers responded to FAW infestation with crop uprooting and disposal (88%), early planting (86%), pesticide use (68%), improved seeds (67%), handpicking (30%) and powdered soap or OMO (27%) as control measures. While several factors influenced farmers’ choices of these control strategies, farmers participating in contract farming were more likely to choose improved seeds, while those receiving agricultural training were more likely to plant early or use improved seeds as FAW control measures. Well-designed farmer-friendly contracts and provision of agricultural training can help farmers adopt appropriate agronomic practices that enable them to contain the FAW outbreak in the study area.