Impact of Training Bolivian Farmers on Integrated Pest Management and Diffusion of Knowledge to Neighboring Farmers

Teaching farmers integrated pest management (IPM) in farmer field schools (FFS) has led to reduced pesticide use and safer handling. This article evaluates the long-term impact of training farmers on IPM and the diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers to neighboring farmers, a subject of importance to justify training costs and to promote a healthy and sustainable agriculture. Training on IPM of farmers took place from 2002 to 2004 in their villages in La Paz County, Bolivia, whereas dissemination of knowledge from trained farmer to neighboring farmer took place until 2009. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, self-reported knowledge and practice on pesticide handling and IPM among trained farmers (n = 23) and their neighboring farmers (n = 47) were analyzed in a follow-up study and compared in a cross-sectional analysis with a control group of farmers (n = 138) introduced in 2009. Variables were analyzed using χ2 test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Trained farmers improved and performed significantly better in all tested variables than their neighboring farmers, although the latter also improved their performance from 2002 to 2009. Including a control group showed an increasing trend in all variables, with the control farmers having the poorest performance and trained farmers the best. The same was seen in an aggregated variable where trained farmers had a mean score of 16.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.45–17.65), neighboring farmers a mean score of 11.97 (95% CI: 10.56–13.38), and control farmers a mean score of 9.18 (95% CI: 8.55–9.80). Controlling for age and living altitude did not change these results. Trained farmers and their neighboring farmers improved and maintained knowledge and practice on IPM and pesticide handling. Diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers might explain the better performance of the neighboring farmers compared with the control farmers. Dissemination of knowledge can contribute to justify the cost and convince donors and governments in low-income countries to prioritize farmers training.

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PID https://www.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3142252
PID https://www.doi.org/10.1080/1059924x.2016.1143428
PID https://www.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3142252.v1
URL https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/1f37635a-51bf-4840-82b5-9e6cd4dfb927
URL http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3142252.v1
URL https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2016.1143428
URL http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3142252
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Access Right Open Access
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Author Jørs, Erik
Author Konradsen, Flemming
Author Huici, Omar
Author Morant, Rafael C.
Author Volk, Julie
Author Lander, Flemming
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Collected From Datacite; figshare; University of Southern Denmark Research Output
Hosted By figshare; University of Southern Denmark Research Output
Publication Date 2016-01-01
Publisher Taylor & Francis
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Country Denmark
Language UNKNOWN
Resource Type Other literature type; Article
keyword Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
keyword FOS: Sociology
keyword FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
keyword FOS: Clinical medicine
system:type publication
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Source https://science-innovation-policy.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=dedup_wf_001::a7935b3e658cacb4cbc54ea6f491f344
Author jsonws_user
Last Updated 26 December 2020, 15:19 (CET)
Created 26 December 2020, 15:19 (CET)