Gendered barriers and opportunities for scaling integrated pest management practices along the mango value chain in Kenya

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an important source of food and income in Kenya, but production is hampered by the proliferation of invasive fruit flies (Bactrocera dorsalis). The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and its partners have over the past 2 decades developed and disseminated an integrated pest management (IPM) package of interventions that effectively reduce fruit fly populations, but adoption is relatively low. In response to this low adoption, the authors conducted desk- and field-based qualitative and quantitative studies to better understand the gendered barriers and opportunities for scaling IPM practices along the mango value chain in Kenya. Twenty-four gender-disaggregated focus groups, 118 farmer surveys, and 63 key informant interviews with value chain actors were conducted. The results show that lack of access to IPM inputs, market constraints, and access to training are among the key barriers to and motivations for adopting IPM strategies in Embu County, Kenya.