Indigenous knowledge approach for rice pests and diseases control by rice farmers in Niger State, Nigeria for sustainable environmental management

Abstract

Rice farming is an indigenous occupation particularly in the study area and the farmers encounter a myriad of problems which modern technology has not adequately addressed. Rice farmers in the area are predominantly male (90.0%) and mostly (76%) between 30 and 69 years of age, with few (32%) having some form of formal education. Majority (67%) of the respondents have less than 5 acres of rice farm.

Birds and rodents are the most common pests while yellow mottles, brown spot and rice blasts formed the predominant diseases. Indigenous control methods for rice diseases are the use of fallow periods, timely planting, crop rotation and planting of resistant varieties. For rice pests, destruction of their abodes, regular weeding, use of traps, positions, locally prepared concoctions, as well as planting of resistant varieties, formed the indigenous practices.


[JEXT Vol.1(1) 2000: 28-35]