Indigenous pest management knowledge of Eritrean farmers and their application in pest and disease management

Abstract

The incorporation of traditional indigenous knowledge is crucial in the agricultural production systems. To ensure the preservation of these practices for future use, there is a necessity for comprehensive documentation. This research aimed at exploring and documenting the indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) practices employed by local farmers in agricultural production and assessing their scientific
rationality. A sample of 62 farmers from Gash Barka and Debub regions of Eritrea were randomly selected for the study of which 72% were males, within the age of 61-70. Data collection involved interviews and focus group discussions (FDGs). The identified ITKs underwent scientific validation by experts from the Departments of Plant Health, Hamelmalo Agricultural College, Eritrea and CABI, Nairobi. Among the 62 interviewed farmers, the primary crops cultivated were cereals such as sorghum (84%), teff (77%), and wheat (76%), along with legumes like chickpea (60%), peas (52%), and groundnut (32%). Farmers reported several storage pests such as grain weevils, red flour beetle, confused flour beetle, pulse beetle. In the field, farmers identified major field pests, including the fall armyworm
sorghum shoot fly, locusts, and stem borers, as major challenges. Indigenous pest control methods used by farmers ranged from animal by-products to plant components like neem (Azadirachta indica), red pepper, and physical strategies were deemed rational by experts. The most frequently cited ITKs, with a relative frequency of 1.0, were pre-storage drying of grains, weeding, and ploughing. The study
concludes that the application of ITKs carries significant implications for pest and disease management, and their integration into an integrated pest management system is recommended.