title: Reducing pesticide risks to farming communities: cotton farmer field schools in Mali.
abstract: We provide results from a study of two separate sectors within the cotton-growing region of southern Mali. In one sector, farmers have engaged in a farmer field school (FFS) training programme since 2003--the other not. One goal of the training was the adoption of alternatives to the use of hazardous insecticides, through integrated pest management (IPM) methods. Over an 8-year period, analysis showed that with roughly 20% of the 4324 cotton-growing farm households having undergone training, hazardous insecticide use for the entire sector fell by 92.5% compared with earlier figures and with the second (control) sector. Yields for cotton in both sectors were highly variable over time, but no evidence was found for changes in yield owing to shifts in pest management practices. Evidence is presented for a likely diffusion of new practices having taken place, from FFS participants to non-participants. We discuss strengths and weaknesses of the FFS approach, in general, and highlight the need for improved baseline survey and impact analyses to be integrated into FFS projects.
authors.affiliation: AGPM Division, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), , Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome 00153, Italy.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Settle
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soumaré
authors.forename: Makhfousse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarr
authors.forename: Mohamed Hama
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Garba
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Poisot
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D003368:Gossypium / Q000254:growth & development*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D008302:Mali; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012424:Rural Population
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Africa; adaptive management; cotton; farmer field school; integrated pest management; pesticides