Integrating farmers' knowledge, attitude and practice in the development of sustainable Striga control interventions in southern Mali

Abstract

Technologies for Striga control have not been widely adopted because of the mismatch between technologies and farmers' socio-economic conditions. This study used a participatory rural appraisal technique at the village, household and plot levels to diagnose the extent of the Striga problem in two agro-ecological zones in southern Mali. This has resulted in an understanding of farmers' attitudes and constraints to Striga control, and opportunities for the development of sustainable technologies suitable for a wide range of farming conditions. Results show that the degree of Striga infestation, levels of farmer knowledge and control practices vary substantially across village territories and fields, and that the severity of the infestation is clearly linked with soil fertility condition and farming practices. It was concluded that in general, the Striga control interventions that would most likely appeal to farmers would be those that will simultaneously improve soil fertility and suppress the development of Striga.