Azinphos-methyl (AZM) phase-out: Actions and attitudes of apple growers in Washington State

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Goldberger ◽  
Nadine Lehrer ◽  
Jay F. Brunner
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Washington State ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Azinphos Methyl ◽  
Phase Out ◽  
Common Association ◽  
Reduced Risk

AbstractThe Environmental Protection Agency's phase-out of the pesticide azinphos-methyl (AZM) has encouraged the transition of apple pest management toward more environmentally and socially sustainable practices. This study reports on results of a 2009 survey of conventional apple growers in Washington State. Growers were asked about their approaches and attitudes toward the AZM phase-out and barriers to the adoption of reduced-risk insecticides (AZM-alternatives) as part of their integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Chi-square and analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques were used to examine relationships between actions and attitudes toward the phase-out and grower characteristics. Results showed that Washington apple growers have begun eliminating AZM and adopting AZM-alternatives. However, larger growers (in terms of acreage and income) and growers more familiar with Washington State University's (WSU's) educational resources were more likely to have already reduced their AZM use. These results suggest that larger farms can play an important role in increasing the sustainability of conventional agriculture, despite a common association of sustainable agriculture with small farms. Results also suggest that agricultural extension services could be well served to extend their outreach to smaller growers and others lagging in the transition to more sustainable apple pest management.

scholarly journals Advisory and Extension Services Related to the Supply of Agricultural Inputs in Cameroon: The Case of the Mifi and Menoua Divisions

2021 ◽  
pp. 86-100
Author(s):  
Faylone Gaelle Mademguia Kuissu ◽  
Guillaume Hensel Fongang Fouepe ◽  
René Mbonomo Bikomo
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Organizational Capacity ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Advisory Services ◽  
Climate Risks ◽  
Low Performance ◽  
Agricultural Input

Aims: The liberalization of the agricultural sector has facilitated the advent of multitude stakeholders with varied profiles involved in the provision of numerous services to agriculture. This study analyzes the advisory and extension services that support the provision of agricultural inputs in two Divisions of the Western Region of Cameroon (Mifi and Menoua). Study Design and Methodology: These areas are home to about 60% of the private agricultural input distributors involved in the provision of agricultural advisory and extension services within the region Data collected by questionnaire and interview guide were carried out with 62 agricultural inputs sellers with input shops on the one hand, and 7 managers of a number of organizations involved in the provision of agricultural services on the other hand.   Results: private agricultural input providers use several agricultural advisory and extension approaches: 42% among them use agricultural extension approach, while 32% use advice to the family farm approach, 21% use organizational capacity building advice and 5%, demand driven approaches. The terms for providing these agricultural extension and advisory services depend on the rationalities of each of these providers. Some agricultural extension and advisory services providers (NGOs, CIGs) promote agroecology through the diffusion of organic inputs, while others promote conventional agriculture through the popularization of synthetic chemical inputs. Access to services by beneficiaries are either paid-offerings or free-offerings. Findings also reveal that in some cases, the actions of some of these providers in the field are intertwined and lead to a collaborative relationship, while in other cases providers work completely compartmentalized leading to negative effects and low performance of the local agricultural extension and advisory system. Conclusion: The advent of private providers has increased the number of actors with various profiles leading to potential advantages (e.g., includes access to agricultural information). Yet these potentials have not yet been fully valorized in the provision of agricultural advisory and extension services to farmers. And the needs of farmers have only been partially met. It would be equally crucial to factor climate risks as integral part of extension and advisory services.

scholarly journals Sustainable Pest Management through Improved Advice in Agricultural Extension

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 6767
Author(s):  
Stefan Toepfer ◽  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Buyun Wang ◽  
Yan Qiao ◽  
Haomin Peng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Cultural Control ◽  
Montreal Protocol ◽  
Sustainable Pest Management ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Pest Monitoring ◽  
Plant Clinics

This 5-year study addresses how improved quality of agricultural extension may lead to more sustainable pest management. We studied 112 agricultural extension workers trained as plant doctors under the Plantwise program in China. They run 70 plant clinics in Beijing, Guangxi, and Sichuan provinces. We analysed 47,156 recommendations issued by these plant doctors to 13,051 different growers between 2012 and 2017, and this for 250 different plant health problems on 91 crops. We also interviewed growers who had taken queries to plant clinics. On average, 86% of plant doctors provided comprehensive integrated pest management recommendations to the growers, with a 16% improvement in comprehensiveness over years. This most often included advice of synthetic pesticides (66%) with its frequency not much changing with time. In contrast, as a likely result of Plantwise interventions and China’s pesticide reduction policies, recommendations for biological control increased from 2% to 42%, pest monitoring by 8%, and cultural control by 11%. Recommendations of problematic plant protection agents as listed in the Montreal Protocol, Stockholm or Rotterdam convention, or as highly toxic under WHO’s toxicity classification were already rare in 2013 (1.9%) and nearly phased out by 2017 (0.2%). About 92% of growers implemented the advice, suggesting that agricultural extension services may contribute to changes in agricultural practices at scale. Further investment in such agricultural extension services may be warranted instead of phasing them out.

scholarly journals Towards a Professionalism of Agricultural Extension: Key to Promoting Extension Effectiveness in Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Robert Agunga ◽  
Ruth Sleshi ◽  
Rahwa Hassen
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Slow Process ◽  
Collaborative Relationship ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Governmental Agencies ◽  
Communication For Development ◽  
Significant Extension ◽  
Local Farmers

A survey of a small sample of 123 extension workers in Ghana and Ethiopia may have revealed the key issue facing extension ineffectiveness in Africa—the paucity of extension training. Questions on job satisfaction showed that respondents were highly satisfied with: a) an opportunity to work in an area they are trained (N=88, 57%), b) level of education (N=75 (61%), c) enthusiasm towards their work (N=72 (58.5%), and d) opportunity to work with local farmers. However, they were highly dissatisfied with: a) their salaries (N=108 (87.8%), b) the process of decentralization (N=83 (75.6%), c) cooperation from non-governmental agencies (N=87 (70.7%), d) respect from peers in other sectors of government (N=83 (68.0%), e) training in development (N=79 (65.3%), and f) training in communication (N=65 (54.2%). We find their complaints on lack of or limited training in development and communication worthy to note because in the last 40 years extension performance has stressed facilitation among development partners. It can be argued, therefore, that the slow process of decentralization, the friction between extension workers and their NGO counterparts, and their inability to get along with their compatriots in other ministries can be traced to their limited or lack of training in development and communication, otherwise called “Communication for Development” (C4D). We conclude, therefore, that if extension workers are to be effective in their new role as development facilitators not only must their training in agriculture expand to include C4D but, equally significant, extension systems throughout the continent must operate as a profession. Therefore, the authors recommend the establishment of a professional association throughout Africa, under the rubric of “ExtensionAfrica,” which will address the need for extension effectiveness on the continent. We particularly recommend a collaborative relationship with the African Forum for Agricultural Services (AFAAS), which has a mandate for advising on extension services, to make this happen.

Bridging Gender Gaps in Provision of Agricultural Extension Service Using ICT

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Sanga ◽  
V. J. Kalungwizi ◽  
C. P. Msuya
Keyword(s):  
Group Discussion ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Women Farmers ◽  
Extension Service ◽  
Advisory Panel ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Agricultural Extension Service ◽  
Ict Tools ◽  
Radio Programs ◽  
Important Evidence

This article was designed to present the assessment of the effectiveness of radio - based, impact driven smallholder farmer extension service system provided by FVR to enhance accessibility of extension services to women and men in the project areas of Tanzania. Specifically, this paper assessed women and men farmers' access to ICT and factors influencing the utilization of ICT to deliver agricultural information and knowledge. The paper used data from impact assessment survey of the project conducted between April 2012 and June 2012. These data were complemented by focus group discussion involving members of gender advisory panel that had been established in the selected project sites. Quantitative data were analyzed to yield frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. Even though ownership of mobile phones and radio was higher among women in all study areas both men and women farmers' had almost the same percentage in accessibility to agricultural extension information. The factors that affected women and men farmers to get quality agricultural information via these ICT tools were namely: poor radio signal reception, power outrage and poor timing of radio programs among others. This is important evidence that careful use of ICT can reduce gender imbalance in agricultural extension services and information delivery.

scholarly journals The Impact Of Agricultural Extension Contact On Crop Income In Bangladesh

2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abu Zafar Mahmudul Haq
Keyword(s):  
Random Sampling ◽  
Field Survey ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Crop Income ◽  
The Impact

The impact of extension contact on crop income is examined with a view to evaluating the agricultural extension in Bangladesh. The scope of the study was ten villages of Gazipur district. The objectives of the study are to i) determine the factors influencing the benefit of extension services in terms of farm income, ii) determine the factors affecting the extension contact of farmers, and iii) suggest some policy guidelines to improve the extension services in Bangladesh. The sample of the study consists of 1000 farmers. Data came from field survey and multistage random sampling technique was used in order to collect data. The results indicated that the impact of extension contact coefficient on crop income is positive and significant. Evidence shows that the influence of extension contact coefficient is strongly positive and significant in the comparatively nearer villages to upazila headquarters, while this effect is weaker for those villages, which are comparatively away from upazila headquarters. It is found that many farmers did not receive extension contact and the effect of extension contact is weak on crop income compared to other factors such as irrigation and chemical fertilizer. It is assumed that there was enough scope to increase extension contact in the study areas. Some determinants of extension contact were also examined. The study concludes that agricultural extension is necessary to increase among the farmers. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 38(2): 321-334, June 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v38i2.15893

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