Summary of a baseline survey on knowledge, perceptions and practices of vegetable farmers in Benguet, Philippines with special reference to potato leafminer flies (Liriomyza spp.)

Ravindra C. Joshi(1), Nicasio S. Baucas(2), Elizabeth A. Verzola(2), and Bethzaida M. Catudan(1)

(1)Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Maligaya, Muñoz Science City, Nueva Ecija 3119, Philippines 
(E-mail: rcjoshi@philrice.gov.ph, joshiraviph@yahoo.com,  joshiravi@hotmail.com) 

(2)Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region, BPI Compound, Guisad, Baguio City, Philippines

Socio-Demographic Profile

Sixty-six (66) potato farmers from Benguet were surveyed in the year 2000, to obtain information on their knowledge, perceptions and practices in vegetable farming in general, and on potato farming in particular. The respondents composed of 63.6% male and 36.4% female. Their age ranged from 20 to 72 years, or 39 years old on the average.

They have attended school for an average of 9 years, at minimum of zero or no attendance to 17 years in school. The farmers belonged to households with 1 to 12 members, a mean of 6 members. About eighty-five percent (85%) owned the farms they managed. The rest were either lessees, farm managers, or renters of farms they operated. No one was a tenant.

Most of the respondents (65.2%) were affiliated with at least one farmers’ organization. More than half of them (59.1%) has not attended any farming-related training. The most frequent trainings they attended were on IPM. A few were trained on potato and cabbage production.

Vegetable Farming Practices

Fertilizer Usage. 
The respondents applied both organic and inorganic fertilizers in their vegetable fields. Farmers applied from 15 to 1750 kg of chicken manure per hectare. On the average, they applied 199 kg of this organic fertilizer. The most favored inorganic fertilizer the farmers applied in their vegetable farms was complete fertilizer (16-16-16). The respondents who used this type of fertilizer applied 6 to 125 kg/ha, or 53 kg on the average. The second preferred fertilizer was 14-14-14, followed by 16-20-0. The farmers to their vegetable fields also applied 10 kg of lime. On the average, the respondents used 20 kg of inorganic fertilizers in their fields.

Credits. 
Majority of the respondents (67%) borrowed money for crop production from PhP 7000 to PhP 25,667. A large portion of the credit was spent on pesticides. The most common source of credit was cooperatives and banks (25.8%). Other sources were trades (15.2%), friends/relatives/neighbors (13.6%), suppliers/boss/partners (10.6%), and private moneylenders (3%).

Marketing. 
Almost an equal number of the respondents, 27 and 26, sold their harvest to local trades and local markets, respectively. Other buyer of the their produce is the cooperative they were affiliated with. Some farmers sold their produce to more than one marketing outlets.

Pest Management Practices for Vegetable

The respondents in Benguet identified six insect pests and three diseases present in their vegetable crops. Leafminer was mentioned by 59.1% while blight was identified by 36.4% of the farmers. Twenty-four percent (24.2%) of the respondents claimed that pests they could not identify were also present in their crops.

The most common pest control measures practiced by farmers (80.3%) to control these pests was pesticide application. Twenty percent (19.7%) did not do anything to control these pests. Most (34.8%) claimed that the leaf miner caused the biggest damage to their crops while 56.1% had no idea what pest caused the biggest damage. Again, pesticide application was the most frequent (74.2%) option to control the pests.

Almost all the respondents (97%) applied pesticides to their crops last season. The most common pesticides applied by the farmers were Dimothrin (21.2%) and Dithane (19.7%). However, 60.6% of the farmers could not remember the brand name of the pesticides. Blight and leaf miner were the most frequent target pests in pesticide application. But 62.1% of the farmers applied pesticides to their crops to control pests they could not identify. Sixty-four percent (63.6%) applied pesticides to prevent pest infestation while 40.9% to control the pests in their crops. Most respondents (65.2%) claimed that the chemicals applied were effective while 18.2% said they were not effective.

Most farmers (21.2%) applied pesticides for the first time just after emergence of their crops while 12.1% applied pesticides one week after planting. The farmers applied pesticides to their crops from 3 to 50 times, or an average of 17 times. They spent from PhP 1500 to PhP 250,000 for pesticides, or PhP 26,625 on the average.

Majority of the respondents (84.8%) applied the pesticides by themselves. Almost half of them (45.4%) obtained pest control advice from chemical companies. Thirty-six percent (36%) of the farmers relied from their own experiences and knowledge.

Almost half (47%) of the farmers claimed that they were the ones who made decisions on how much money to spend on pesticides. Further, half of the respondents said they did the purchasing of these pesticides. Twenty-four percent (24.2%) of the farmers, however, claimed that both the husband and wife bought the pesticides required in their farms. Decisions on what to do with problems were again mainly performed by the farmer (50%). However, 30.3% of the respondents involved their spouses in the decision-making.

Perceptions on the Effect of Pesticides to Human Health and Environment

About half of the respondents (48.5%) disagreed that pesticides could harm the water quality in their farms. Only 30.3% of them agreed on the harmful effect of pesticides. Twelve percent (12.1%) of the farmers agreed that the water supply in their farms had already been negatively affected by pesticide use. Although 39.3% of the respondents claimed pesticides do not cause any health problems, 36.4% thought those health problems is also induced by pesticides.

Knowledge on Vegetable Pests

The respondents from Benguet knew/identified 11 pests that feed on their vegetable crops. Almost all (83.3%) indicated leaf miner while 53% mentioned blight. When asked how these pests damage the plant, 33.3% said they eat, damage or destroy the leaves of the plants. The same number of respondents claimed that the biggest damage was causes by leaf miner. Again, an equal number of the farmers said that the leaf miner caused the biggest yield loss. They claimed that their crop yield was reduced because the leaf miner destroy or damage the leaves of the plant, caused production of small tubers, and death of the plants.

Almost all the respondents (93.9%) agreed that it is necessary to use chemicals to control the pests. Twelve percent (12.1%) said that pesticides should be applied before the pests’ attack. Only 6.1% said to apply pesticides when the pests are already in the field while only one farmer mentioned that pesticides should be applied only if the population is high. 

Knowledge on Natural Enemies of Vegetable Pests

No farmer indicated any knowledge of insects or animals that do not cause damage to their crop. More than half (54.5%), however, said that there are no insects or animals that do not cause damage to their crops. The rest claimed they had no idea.

Majority of the farmer (87.9%) had no idea if applying pesticides would result to increase in yield. Similarly, they do not know if killing the natural enemies in the field by applying chemicals could hasten pest infestation.

Farming Practices in Potato Production

The respondents usually plant potatoes in February and March. Others though plant year round except in November. Most of them (78.8%) used planting materials they produced from their own farms. Only 10.6% procured their planting materials from private seed growers. Others obtained them from neighbors or friends while only one farmer got them from BSU. Majority of the farmers (77.3%) buried or composted the wastes from their fields.

Potato Leafminer (PLM)

Fifty-three percent (53%) of the farmers claimed that PLM is a problem in their fields. About 54.5% said that it became a problem in year 2000. Many (33.3%), however, said they could not remember when PLM became a problem pest in their fields. Most of respondents said that PLM was problematic in the months of February and March. Again, the most respondents (39.4%) claimed that 2000 was the year that PLM occurred at its peak. This problem was most serious from February to May of 2000.

Most respondents (25.8%) observed that PLM is destructive all year round. Only 3% said it is not, while the rest did not have any idea. About 12.1% claimed that the PLM is most active in the morning, while 7.6% said they are active the whole day.

The farmers identified the following factors that cause the PLM to increase in population dry season/summer, good sunlight, not easy to kill, light, and good weather. The most frequent cause identified by the respondents was dry season/summer (16.7%). Most of the farmers (19.7%) on the other hand, thought that the PLM population decreases when it rains.

Most farmers (31.9%) said that PLM is most active from seedling to vegetative stages. PLM is also claimed by 24.2% of the farmers to be most active during the dry season or summer.

Other Problems in Potato Production

The respondents from Benguet identified various problems that they experienced in potato production. Most common (42.4%) was low market price of the crop. The high price of inputs was also mentioned by 15.2% of the farmers while 10.6% said their production was affected by bad weather.

Results: Tables

Several tables containing detailed results of the KAP Survey can be found in a Word document on this page.