Imports of pesticides have long been subsidised for use in the cocoa agroforests of the humid forest zone of southern Cameroon. With the liberalisation of the cocoa and pesticides sectors and the devaluation of the local currency (CFA franc), farmers are facing fluctuations in the price paid for cocoa and the high cost of farm inputs. Without the support of the extension services, they themselves have developed traditional integrated control methods based on the use of plant extracts mixed with conventional pesticides. From a survey of 300 cocoa farmers, the study assesses the farmers' command of these methods, the pests controlled, the problems encountered and the institutional constraints in the definition and dissemination of integrated control methods. The study concludes with recommendations for research and development towards the better definition and dissemination of integrated control methodsLes pesticides ont e ́télongtemps subventionne ́s de l’importation aux applications dans les agroforeˆts cacaode la zone de foreˆt humide du Sud-Cameroun. Avec la libe ́ralisation des filie`rescacao et pesticides et lade ́valuation du franc CFA, les paysans font face aux fluctuations des prix d’achat du cacao et du cou e ́leve ́des intrants agricoles. Sans l’appui des services d’encadrements, ils ont de ́veloppe ́eux eˆmes des me ́thodestraditionnelles de lutte inte ́gre ́e base ́e sur l’utilisation des extraits de plantes me ́lange ́s aux pesticides con-ventionnelles. Partie d’une enqueˆte aupre`s de 300 cacaoculteurs, l’e ́tude e ́value le degre ́de maıˆtrise des cesme ́thodes, les pestes controˆle ́es, les difficulte ́s rencontre ́es et les contraintes institutionnelles dans la de ́finition et la diffusion des me ́thodes de lutte inte ́gre ́e. L’e ́tude se termine par des commandations en matie`rede recherche-devellopement pour une bonne de ́finition et diffusion des me ́thodes de lutte inte ́gre ́e.

https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IPMR.0000027499.52755.0b

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https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IPMR.0000027499.52755.0b

Knowledge Management; Pests Of Plants; Plant Health; Forestry

Theobroma Cacao; Agroforestry; Humid Zones; Indigenous Knowledge; Integrated Pest Management; Pesticides; Cameroon

Africa; Central Africa

Cameroon