HIV/AIDS orphans as farmers: uncovering pest knowledge differences through an ethnobiological approach in Benin

Authors

  • R. Fagbemissi
  • L.L. Price

Abstract

The erosion of local/indigenous farming knowledge in the face of HIV/AIDS deaths in Africa has been noted as a point of concern in the literature and by organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. These concerns are about a break in the transmission of knowledge from adults (deceased parents) to children (orphans). Ultimately, erosion of farming knowledge is implied. This paper examines one aspect of knowledge, using an ethnobiological approach that is language based. Free-listing elicitation of pests in maize fields was conducted with 45 child orphans, 15 non-orphan children, and 30 adults in rural Benin. A cognitive salience index (

CSI) was developed and an advanced analysis of the CSI scores was conducted examining the score differences between child orphans and non-orphan children and adults. The results indicate that orphaned children were more knowledgeable than non-orphaned children. One-parent orphans residing with the surviving parent are more knowledgeable than double orphans farming on their own. Non-affected adults and their children scored significantly lower than AIDS-affected adults and children. Other variables including gender and age were further examined to explain some of the observed differences. The findings indicate that there is a need for rethinking the implications of HIV/AIDS on farming knowledge.

Downloads

Published

2009-03-20

Issue

Vol. 56 No. 3 (2008)

Section

Articles

License

© Copyright KLV All rights reserved. The copyright covers the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the contribution, including reprints, translations, photographic reproductions, microform, electronic form (offline, online), or any other reproductions of similar nature. The Author may publish his/her contribution on his/her personal Web page provided that he/she creates a link to http://library.wur.nl/ojs/index.php/njas and that together with this electronic version it is clearly pointed out, by prominently adding "© KLV", that the copyright for this contribution is held by KLV. The full-text version may be available from the Author's Web page only after a delay of 12 months following the publication of the paper, whereas such a delay is not required for the abstract.