Articles
Methodology and preliminary impacts of the on-farm production of an efficient plant-based natural pesticide combining Artemisia annua, A. afra, and other locally available active species
Article number
1462_10
Pages
73 – 78
Language
English
Abstract
Smallholder farmers are increasingly challenged by crop pest infestations, a phenomenon exacerbated by climate change and aggravated by resistance build-up to harmful and persistent synthetic pesticides, and biodiversity collapse.
To address this, the Aga Khan Foundation has co-developed with farmers a methodology to produce on farm, using local natural ingredients, complex fermented organic pesticides relying on the synergistic effect of a mix of minimum five (but up to >20) pesticide/repulsive plant species.
No fixed recipe has been given to farmers but rather a production methodology alongside a key of identification of pesticide plants, in which Artemisia species are widely represented and have proven efficient.
Over more than 5 years of on-farm testing of this “biospray” results have been spectacular, and other uses of Artemisia species have been promoted and validated, allowing farmers to reduce by up to 95% their input costs, with no sign resistance or soil/livestock toxicity reported.
As the number of adopting farmers increases dramatically in Africa, more research is required to characterize the mode of operation of the plant species, and particularly Artemisia in these diverse natural solutions.
To address this, the Aga Khan Foundation has co-developed with farmers a methodology to produce on farm, using local natural ingredients, complex fermented organic pesticides relying on the synergistic effect of a mix of minimum five (but up to >20) pesticide/repulsive plant species.
No fixed recipe has been given to farmers but rather a production methodology alongside a key of identification of pesticide plants, in which Artemisia species are widely represented and have proven efficient.
Over more than 5 years of on-farm testing of this “biospray” results have been spectacular, and other uses of Artemisia species have been promoted and validated, allowing farmers to reduce by up to 95% their input costs, with no sign resistance or soil/livestock toxicity reported.
As the number of adopting farmers increases dramatically in Africa, more research is required to characterize the mode of operation of the plant species, and particularly Artemisia in these diverse natural solutions.
Publication
Authors
D. Van Bignoot, E. Maina
Keywords
Artemisia annua, Artemisia afra, pesticide, biospray, Africa
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