Farmers Practice Versus Recommended Pesticides Spray Programmes In Tomato And African Eggplant Production: Acase Of Mvomero District, Morogoro, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this study was to analyze the gap between the recommended pesticides spray programmes and the actual farmers’ practices in the production of tomato and African eggplant among farmers in Mvomero District, Morogoro Region, Tanzania. The specific objectives were to: (i) Identify the pesticide use recommendations for tomato and African eggplant production (ii) assess the level of farmers awareness on recommended pesticide spray programmes (iii) compare the recommended and actual farmers pesticide spray practice and (iv) find out the factors for farmers abidance by the recommended practices. Cross sectional research design was applied. Data were collected using a questionnaire for farmers and a checklist of questions for the key informants. The region, district and villages were selected purposively while the respondents, 120 in total, were randomly selected among the tomato and African eggplant producers. Data collected were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data. Findings from this study show that the recommended pesticides spray programmes comprise of; timing of application, pesticides spray frequency, equipment used and application rates. For a farmer to make sound decision on the application of these programmes they have to do scouting regularly in their farms. Although all farmers had a certain level of awareness on the recommended spray programmes; it was only 45.5% of the respondents who abode by them. The factors which influenced farmer’s abidance by the recommendations included level of education, access to agricultural extension services and income. For farmers to abide by the recommended pesticides spray programmes and at the same time decrease misuse of pesticides; extension services have to be improved especially those which promote farmer to farmer learning