The Effects of fall armyworm on agricultural productivity : case of ward 20, Bindura district

Author

Gede, Gracious Munashe

Title

The Effects of fall armyworm on agricultural productivity : case of ward 20, Bindura district

Abstract

The research sought to explore the effects of fall army worm on agricultural productivity in Ward 20 of Bindura District. The research’s particular objectives were to examine the damaging effects of fall army worm on agricultural yield and to analyze the possible alleviating farmer control methods towards the effect of fall army worm. Use of semistructured questionnaire and observations have been used to collect data from each interview. Descriptive statistics were used in order to assess the casual link of socioeconomic factors with fall army worm effects which posed as a big problem within the study group. Agricultural challenges faced by small maize growers and commercial farmers include; a lack of knowledge about fall army worm, yield quality and amount obtained, and income obtained during production. Farmers, adoption of methods to use in controlling fall army worms are significantly influenced by social economic factors such as gender, education level, extension access, and household head farm experience, while there was a negative correlation between adoption of the latest control methods and family size, age, or income.Extension services need thus to be improved with a view to a better knowledge of farmers about the use of cultural and modern methods for controlling fall army worms, support for the supply of extension services to control fall army worms in Bindura must be worked out between the government and private sector.

Date

June 2024

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Fall army worm

Agricultural pests

Pest management

Supervisor

Mr V. Munyati