Effectiveness and profitability of integrated pest management for improving yield on smallholder cocoa farms in Ghana
Many pests, especially capsid bugs, infest cocoa and contribute to low yields in
producing countries. In Ghana, synthetic pesticides are recommended for controlling the
insect pests, and a combination of synthetic pesticides and cultural practices for diseases
and weeds. However, the farmers in Ghana are not motivated to adopt these
recommendations due to the high cost of pesticides and low producer prices. There is
also concern that use of synthetic pesticides on a wide scale can affect both human health and the environment. With the objective of improving cocoa yields through
environmentally friendly pest control practices, evaluation of an integrated pest
management (IPM) package based on aqueous neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) seed
extracts to control the insect pests and cultural practices to manage the diseases, weeds
and parasitic plants was undertaken in farmers’ fields with their active participation. The
IPM package improved yields significantly and was found to be more profitable than the
farmers’ practices. However, there are two major constraints to adoption of the package by farmers: it is labour-intensive and currently, neem is not readily available to the
community. The study recommends that these constraints must be tackled to motivate the farmers to adopt or adapt the IPM package.
Area of focus: Cocoa
Author(s): E.N.A. Dormon, A. van Huis, C. Leeuwis
Organisation/institution: Wageningen University