Farmers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Fruit Fly Pests and Their Management in Northern Ghana

Farmer-level knowledge is an important component of the action plan of the fruit fly committee of Ghana. A survey was conducted among 188 fruit growers in 20 districts in northern Ghana between February and May, 2012, to assess their knowledge, perceptions and practices (KPP) regarding fruit fly pests. Semi-structured questions designed in an open- and closed-ended fashion were used to assess farmers' KPP about the pests. Majority (90 %) of the farmers were already aware of the fruit fly problem in the country with 55.3% perceiving it to be very serious. Majority (80.9%) of farmers however, demonstrated poor knowledge in identifying the fruit fly species of economic importance, especially the new African invader fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens . Farmers were more conversant with the economic impact of fruit flies than their direct damage symptoms on host fruits. A total of 39% growers took no action to control fruit flies in their farms. Recommended fruit fly control strategies such as pheromone trapping, bait application, soil inoculation and biological control were either unknown or inaccessible to growers. A total of (72%) applied chemicals that were not recommended for the control of fruit flies without considering their environmental and health risks. It is important to train fruit growers to improve their capabilities for fruit fly management through farmers' field schools appropriate for helping them acquire basic knowledge of fruit fly pests and their control, and enable the most receptive farmers to reach a level of independent decision-makers.