Assessment of information flow and ex-ante impact of potential cashew integrated pest’s management strategies for sustainable cashew production: the case of Tandahimba and Lindi rural districts

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess information flow and ex-ante impact of potential cashew IPM strategies for sustainable cashew production and marketing in Tanzania. Radio, extension workers, leaflets, posters, cashew development centres, on farm demonstrations and television were the identified information sources and communication pathways. Farm profit analysis of Potential IPM options were also quantified to find out the economic feasibility of cashew production at individual farmers’ level. The IPM options included mainly top-working, grafting, use of improved clones and poly clones, biological and chemical insect pests control methods. Tandahimba District in Mtwara Region and Lindi Rural District in Lindi Region were the areas of study with production at 40% and 18% respectively. Lindi Rural was selected as the counter factual area with low interaction with cashew experts, very far from Cashew Development Centres, located in a coastal agro-ecological zone unlike Tandahimba district which is in the Makonde plateau. Primary and secondary data sources were used in this questionnaires and checklist were used to collect primary data. Secondary data were extracted from relevant literature reviews. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and MS- Excel to obtain frequencies and percentages. Radio, role model farmers, extension workers and cashew development Centres were the common sources and information flow channels. It was also found that, most of the recommended IPM options have not reached majorities of farmers in Lindi Rural compared to Tandahimba district because of poor interaction with cashew specialists, long distances from cashew development centres. For effective communication and adoptions of IPM options, there should be optimization of effectiveness of role model farmers, improvement of radio programmes and agriculture/extension services, upgrading CDCs to modern cashew resource centres, improving transparency and information flow between cashew stakeholders on various decisions regarding price setting for each marketing season. Also farmers should be trained on farm record keeping which could save as a basis for farm profit quantification.