Assessing farmers knowledge and perceptions on incidence and management of Banana bunchy top disease
Paper Details
Assessing farmers knowledge and perceptions on incidence and management of Banana bunchy top disease
Abstract
A survey was conducted to assess the farmers’ knowledge and perceptions on the incidence and management of the banana bunchy top disease (BBTD). A semi- structured questionnaire was administered to 76 randomly selected farmers in Mulanje and Nkhatabay districts of Malawi. The data collected included: dominant crops over the previous five years, banana cropping systems, type of fertilizer used, knowledge of BBTD and its recommended control measures, and challenges faced in banana production. Most farmers (30.8% in Mulanje and 50.0% in Nkhatabay) stated that banana was the dominant crop over the previous five years. Majority of the farmers (88.5% in Mulanje and 80.0% in Nkhatabay) planted their bananas in mats and most of the farmers in Mulanje (88.5%) and Nkhatabay (20%) had less than 20 mats each. Recommended plant spacing (3m by 3m) was followed by most of the farmers (76.9% in Mulanje and 50.0% in Nkhatabay). Majority of the famers (55.4% in Mulanje and 63.0% in Nkhatabay) had knowledge of the disease. Furthermore, 30.7% of the farmers in Mulanje and 48.0% in Nkhatabay reported that they controlled the disease by uprooting the infected plants. The study also revealed that the yield of banana had reduced by 15 to 30 tons per hectare due to BBTD.
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