title: Control of vegetable pests in Benin - Farmers' preferences for eco-friendly nets as an alternative to insecticides.
abstract: We investigated if eco-friendly nets (EFNs) are a viable and acceptable alternative to extremely high levels of insecticide use in vegetable production. Using a choice experiment, we found that vegetable producing farmers in Benin preferred all of the characteristics of EFNs except the higher labor requirements. The nets had been distributed in a trial phase for free but in the long run farmers would need to purchase the EFNs. The break-even point for investing in nets was found to vary with the lifespan of EFNs, their purchase price and potential health benefits from avoiding large quantities of insecticides. To break even the nets need to be used for at least two production cycles. To overcome risk-averse farmer's reluctance to adopt EFNs we propose a credit and warranty scheme along with the purchase of the nets. The study's findings can guide the implementation of EFNs in other African countries as part of integrated pest management with global benefits for the environment and human health.
authors.affiliation: Regional Agricultural Center for Rural Development of Atlantique-Littoral, Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
authors.forename: Faustin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vidogbéna
authors.affiliation: University of Abomey-Calavi, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: Anselme
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adégbidi
authors.affiliation: University of Abomey-Calavi, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: Rigobert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tossou
authors.affiliation: National Agricultural Research Institute (INRAB), Station d'Agonkanmey, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Assogba-Komlan
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture, East Lansing, USA; USDA-NIFA, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ngouajio
authors.affiliation: Cirad, UR Hortsys, Montpellier, France; Icipe, Plant Health Department, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Thibaut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: National Agricultural Research Institute (INRAB), Station d'Agonkanmey, Cotonou, Benin; Cirad, UR Hortsys, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Cirad, UR Hortsys, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parrot
authors.affiliation: The Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia. Electronic address: kerstin.zander@cdu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kerstin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Zander
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D001290:Attitude; D001541:Benin; D003132:Commerce; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D007306:Insecticides / Q000191:economics*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides
keywords: Benefit-cost analysis; Choice experiment; Insect net; Integrated pest management; Pesticides; Stated preference; Urban agriculture; West Africa