Benin: Going Organic
27 May 2008 Biological controls for cotton are being promoted heavily in northern Benin by policymakers, donors, and development groups hoping to overcome problems caused by the misuse of pesticides, according to Africa Science News.
A report from a research project funded by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) presented at a Nairobi conference stated that farmers’ willingness to pay for a biopesticide developed from the Metarhizium anisopliae fungus have increased, partly due to developing resistance problems with currently available pesticides in the area.
The results also showed that most cotton producers and their families are exposed to insecticides without adequate protection during sprays. Among the competitive alternatives to synthetic pesticides, botanical extracts such as neem are being promoted to farmers. Neem’s availability, low cash cost, and relative safety are its major advantages, while slow action, higher labor demand, and painful pounding are considered its downsides.
Both organic and conventional cotton producers have expressed interest in Metarhizium to control Helicoverpa in cotton. Until recently, the available pest control method was many sprays of chemical insecticides against a variety of insect species including aphids, bugs, whiteflies, and mites. Use of the biopesticide is expected to nearly double in the next year.
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